Herbs for bees

[Solomon Parker]

If you going to be an ultra orthodox

I find the "treatment free" argument that Soloman proposes a little overboard.

As I am fond of saying, this definition was voted on by forum users. If forum users would like to see it changed, then I am certainly open to suggestions.

Yes WLC, it is no loss that people not willing to go treatment-free have ceased using the forum. You don't see people going to the commercial forum all the time and arguing what is commercial and what isn't. You don't see people going to the Topbar forum all the time and arguing what is a topbar and what isn't. Yet for some reason, the discussion about what is treatment free and what isn't never ends. And somehow, the line 'natural treatments' and even 'treatment-free treatments' keeps coming up. If it's a treatment, it's a treatment. If you want to talk about treatments, go elsewhere. Funny enough, it's always the group who aren't, trying to tell the group who are that they are not. Why is this?

Casinoken, I'll thank you to spell my name correctly. It's not as though you've never seen it spelled correctly before. It's very disrespectful. And please read the unique forum rules as well, so you will know what is considered a treatment and what is not and why in this forum.

[WLC]

So, did you purchase wax coated PF120s with the intent of making use of small cell?

Of course, any pesticide contaminants in the wax coating don't count because of 'intent'.

"If you want to talk about treatments, go elsewhere. Funny enough, it's always the group who aren't, trying to tell the group who are that they are not. Why is this?"

I doubt that you truly want to know why I keep challenging you on the definition.

But, IMHO, you don't live up to your own forum's lofty goals.

No essential oils allowed, but a certain 'guru' can make his own esters (AKA:essential oils) and cook an entire hive in it (and get away with it).

No pesticides allowed, but waxed PF120s don't count (forget the significant concentration pesticide contaminants in the wax coating).

It's that intent loophole again. Wood preservative and small cell.

So pardon me if I feed peppermint candy (food grade, of course) to my hives. My intent: use food grade peppermint oil because it's not a pesticide and the ladies like it.

[casinoken]

No disrespect intended Solomon, I have a friend named Soloman and am used to typing it that way. As to your comment about the group who aren't always trying to tell those who are that they aren't, I consider
Myself treatment free. I have never used any man made chemicals in my hives. If the bees can't access it through foraging, or if I can't grow something that is known to be beneficial to them and offer it to them when they need the occasional feeding, then it doesn't go in my hives.

[Solomon Parker]

WLC, would you prefer language more referential to the end effect and less the intent?

Perhaps then some chemical treatments that don't work anymore could be considered treatment free.

[Barry]

I doubt that you truly want to know why I keep challenging you on the definition.

Whatever your reason, we're done with the definition challenges. We're past that point in this forum. Embrace the overall intent of this forum and stop nit-picking over the fringe stuff. That goes for everyone.

[TheBuzz]

If you wanna try to adapt bees faster how bout a UV light at the entrance? That would kill any bacteria.

[Ramona]

If you wanna try to adapt bees faster how bout a UV light at the entrance? That would kill any bacteria.

I'm pretty sure we talked about this on an earlier thread. You don't want to interfere with the microbes on the incoming pollen that are already in the process of fermenting the pollen into beebread. Byproducts of the fermentation include unique nutrients that the bees require and that they cannot get anywhere else in their diet.

Essential oils are often antimicrobial as they are part of a plant's defense system.

Ramona

[WLC]

"Essential oils are often antimicrobial as they are part of a plant's defense system."

'Hippo Fatso' [sic]:

You can't plant an herb garden if you want to keep treatment-free bees!

That's not what we're supposed to be about.

Avoiding pesticides, etc., is fine.

All plants have compounds that act in a similar manner.

So, you're saying that treatment-free bees can't be exposed to plants.

Do you see how ridiculous it sounds?

[Solomon Parker]

So, you're saying that treatment-free bees can't be exposed to plants.

Nobody said that.

Do you see how ridiculous it sounds?

Straw men arguments usually do.

[WLC]

People will often plant heb gardens specifically to enhance the health of their bees.

"Don't pay any attention to that man behind the curtain."

[Solomon Parker]

And? But? So? Therefore?

[deknow]

...essential oils are.generally distilled from the sap of the plant. Nectar and pollen are made.available by the plant to attract pollinators. Sap is the blood.of.the plant,.and generally isn't something the plant is advertising as free food for.pollinators. some.plants.benefit from aphids and their associated ants, but this is a.bit of a complex.relationship.
but the point is, the aromatic stuff.in the sap is.generally designed to prevent the plant from being eaten by large beasties and infected.by microbes. This isn't designed.to be food.for pollinators in order to sustain a symbiotic relationship. ...nevermind the distillation that concentrates.things.more.than natural systems.would.generally allow. A flower smells.good.to.attract pollinators
A mint leaf smells.good.to keep.deer from.eating it and.to prevent microbial takeover.
deknow

[WLC]

Yeah, but something this 'special forum' doesn't want to do is appear to be anti-bee-friendly-gardening.

Don't mess with our oregano.

[deknow]

I have some nucs and full sized hives litterally sitting in mint plants...I also have others that are in sprouted hay and milkweed, some are buried in burdock, some are on woodchips. Some of the mint we planted, some of it was here when we moved in.
I don't notice any difference. I havent seen more than one mite in a hive at a time (we don't do counts, but I have pretty good eysight for spotting them, and I do uncap a few drones from time to time). We do have a few colonies with what looks like some EFB...some of them are in the mint, some are not. This is because this is what is growing in our yard...we use the mint for iced tea at our conference, and we use the sprouted hay to hide how many hives we have in a city lot.

Having diverse forage available (which would include "aromatic weeds") is probably good for the bees. I think if you are going to put effort into something in order to deal with the mites, planting oregano is probably low on the list of things that will have any impact....Probably on par with trying to tell the queen to resist the mites with a Ouija board.

If you don't have diverse forage available in your area, a few oregano plants are not going to fix things.....and if you feel you must take some action against mites, your efforts are probably best spent eleswhere.

deknow

[WLC]

Who said that you plant an herb garden to treat for mites, or anything specifically?

It's more of a general health tonic for the bees.

Of course, it's a little late in the season since my herbs have already finished flowering (mostly).

I might give them a 'hair cut' to see if I get a late summer bloom from them.

It's just an idea.