How long would an operation have to be treatment free before one could call it a success?
What's your opinion?
Adam
What's your opinion?
Adam
I don't think that's going to happen. Put it this way. Even if a hive is able to successfully battle mites and keep them below a critical level, the point is, the hive still has to expend energy to do that. If the beekeeper came along and zapped all the mites with a chemical, it would be perfectly reasonable to expect that the hive could now make more honey.I define success as not treating without loss of honey production.
Did she say if these had been started on foundation or drawn comb?Penn State hives died in one year. All others died within 2 years.
Is infinity a number? If so, that's my choice.How long would an operation have to be treatment free before one could call it a success?
Which one? I consider myself a success. Some others don't. I've been doing it for nearly ten years and for the past several, each has been better, more fun, more productive, and more educational than the last.How long would an operation have to be treatment free before one could call it a success?
You are assuming that all of your losses would occur after "a couple of seasons." What if you are wrong? What if it takes 5 seasons, or 8 seasons, before the mites take their full tole on the bees? What if in year 6 you have a beekeeper move next door who doesn't treat, and all his hives crash from mites, and those mites end up invading your hives? Your hives may be able to deal with an average amount of mites, but can they deal with an abnormal amount of mites?Once you get through a complete couple of seasons, I'd call that successful. Why would you need to go longer than that?