What medicine should be on hand

[LeonardS]

I am waiting arrival of my first two Packages and wondered what medicine a new beekeeper should have on hand? I may try natural beekeeping at a later date, but my first year I just want the bees to stay alive. I will only be around the bees on weekends so if something comes up I want to be sure to have the proper things on hand.

Leonard

[Vance G]

You will be able to detect any medical needs ahead of the actual need. If you will learn to monitor your mite level and recognize AFB you do not in my opinion need any meds on hand. I do not treat unless I see a problem. If you think you have American Fould brood you need and expert opinion anyway. The rest the bees can clean up. Keep proper ventilation and you will have fewer health problems.

[honeyshack]

Ask several beekeepers and get several different responses.
Here goes
If you are an urban beekeeper and have access to a bee supply store within driving distance, nothing.
If you are however reliant on the postal service to ship to you, consider having a bottle of Fumagillin B relative to the # of hives you have on hand. If your plan is to do a preventative for AFB in the spring, the oxy/icing sugar should be ready to go. Keep in mind to buy the amount closest to what you need in a short time since products do have an expiration.
Other things to have on hand...testing for varroa mites. If you are going to use sticky boards, have a couple on hand. No need to test every hive at the same time. Unless you think you have a problem.
Mite treatments, when you test, then take the next step at getting what you need.
That should be about it.

Now storing that is an issue.
Dark bottles stored in a cool dark place. Follow directions, follow storage directions, follow mixing directions, and follow withdrawal times. Make sure you have an adequate time between treatments and the flow. For fumagillin, I believe...but check and then recheck...4 weeks from removal of the feeder. The feeder with the medication should not be in direct sunlight either. It's half life in syrup in the sunlight is approx 45 minutes to becomin enert

[BeeCurious]

I would spend the money on nuc equipment and not on medications.

A couple of nuc hives and some Summer queens is what I would suggest buying...

[KQ6AR]

This is our fourth season, so far all we have used is honey-b-healthy, & powdered sugar.
Meds don't last forever on the shelf.

[Katharina]

The first year is usually the easiest. Don't buy any of it unless you really need it. Invest into mite sticky boards, which you should use the first time at about 3 month. At that time consider getting hopguard, because you will need to treat them before fall with something of you may loose them in winter to mites. Honey-B-Healthy is a good idea or the MannLake equivalent of ProHealth. Same stuff, different names. Invest your money smart into good equipment.

[Ben Brewcat]

Integrated pest management my friend.

[toekneepea]

...I may try natural beekeeping at a later date, but my first year I just want the bees to stay alive. I will only be around the bees on weekends ...

Treatment free bees survive, even despite first year beekeepers like me bumbling along. Just saying.

Good luck with your bees, read a lot, watch, and have fun!

Tony P.

[LeonardS]

After reading about bees flying away, starving and getting disease, I just want to try to cover the easy things. I was going to start with 1 hive, then 2 and know I am thinking 4.

[LeonardS]

The first year is usually the easiest. Don't buy any of it unless you really need it. Invest into mite sticky boards, which you should use the first time at about 3 month. At that time consider getting hopguard, because you will need to treat them before fall with something of you may loose them in winter to mites. Honey-B-Healthy is a good idea or the MannLake equivalent of ProHealth. Same stuff, different names. Invest your money smart into good equipment.

I have bought all Mann Lake equipment and I hope it's good equipment!

[Intheswamp]

Liquid benadryl!!!!

...oh, you were talking about for the bees....sorry.

[fish_stix]

You don't need any meds at all for your bees. Try a bottle of Crown Royal for yourself and relax.

[LeonardS]

You don't need any meds at all for your bees. Try a bottle of Crown Royal for yourself and relax.

Good one!!

[guyross]

I use a 1/2 gallon of Fumagillin B on new packages for stress. Thanks to Honeyshack for saying to keep treated syrup out of direct sun light. I didn't know. I did cover some with five gallon pails later to keep down algae. I learned that from Robert Russell. I have also used Nozevit. I'm not sure but I think it is organic. Maybe some one will expound on it.

[Dr.JoeCarson]

Nozevit is manufactured from all Organic certified based elements.

[jadell]

I wouldn't worry about any medicine. You will have time to make that decision if you need to. I would have a real problem with a supplier if i needed medicine for a package. The "proper" things to have on hand are more equipment and syrup if you dont have drawn frames. You shouldn't have to worry about mites from a package. Just my opinion, you'll figure it out. Good luck!