Am I Treatment-Free now?

[BeeCurious]

I'm approaching my 5th winter with bees. The first two autumns ('08 & '09) I fed thymolated syrup to the few hives that I had and I did a few sugar dustings.

No thymol was used after October '09

I may have done some sugar dusting in 2010 but I'm not certain. I believe I would have, but I overlooked doing them. Comb suspected to contain thymol syrup have been culled out.

2011: No treatments... went into winter with eight colonies and seven made it to spring.

I don't practice any drone management for mites.

Would my colonies be considered treatment free at this point?

[Charlie B]

I don't see why not.

[Solomon Parker]

Would my colonies be considered treatment free at this point?

In what sense? Do you want to know if they are considered treatment free by this forum's standards?

The purpose is to define the topic. Everyone keeps their hives however they like and no one is setting rules as to how anyone can keep their bees. The Treatment-Free Beekeeping Forum is not a standard or a certification program or a benchmark. It is a forum with the purpose of discussing how to keep bees without helping them cope with disease.

The definition is there. You may evaluate your own operation at your leisure.

Or do you want to know for some other reason, in some other context?

[BeeCurious]

Would my colonies be considered treatment free at this point?

In what sense?

Is there another "sense"?

Or do you want to know for some other reason, in some other context?

"in some other context "? No.

[Solomon Parker]

I'm just wondering. It seems like you're seeking the approval of the Treatment-Free Forum, a small demographic indeed.

Personally, I would probably consider you treatment-free, but why do I (we) matter?

[sqkcrk]

I'm approaching my 5th winter with bees. The first two autumns ('08 & '09) I fed thymolated syrup to the few hives that I had and I did a few sugar dustings.

No thymol was used after October '09

I may have done some sugar dusting in 2010 but I'm not certain. I believe I would have, but I overlooked doing them. Comb suspected to contain thymol syrup have been culled out.

2011: No treatments... went into winter with eight colonies and seven made it to spring.

I don't practice any drone management for mites.

Would my colonies be considered treatment free at this point?

From what I know, no one on beesource Certifys whether your colony is Treatment Free or not. Beesource is not a certifying agency or body, likethe Organic Farmers Association is to organic farmers.

[BeeCurious]

From what I know, no one on beesource Certifys whether your colony is Treatment Free or not. Beesource is not a certifying agency or body, likethe Organic Farmers Association is to organic farmers.

I was simply looking for a little feedback. I know that the forum is not a certifying body.

Had I fed thymol in syrup last year I wouldn't consider my colonies to be chemical free, and obviously, not treatment free ...

[sqkcrk]

Well, there you go. Nuf said. Though I don't know why. Wouldn't the thymol be out of the system by now?

[KQ6AR]

In my opinion you're treatment free. If you're using queens that haven't been treated, all the other bees in the hive have been replaced a long time ago. Why not.

[wadehump]

How many hives do you have going into this winter.

[BeeCurious]

How many hives do you have going into this winter.

I have a total of 17. Ten of which are either nucs or small colonies in 3 or 4 five- frame hives.

[wadehump]

Of the 7 full size hives i would expect in a normal winter 5 to survive and 50-50 on the nucs

[BeeCurious]

In my opinion you're treatment free. If you're using queens that haven't been treated, all the other bees in the hive have been replaced a long time ago. Why not.

I buy a few queens every year and they are not necessarily from treatment free sources...

[KQ6AR]

IMO with you going treatment free, & doing a good job of it. It would probably benefit you most to raise you're own queens since you have good genetics in you're yard already.

[wadehump]

If you are going to buy queens try to buy queens that are local to you or that have the same general climate as you do.