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Fogging your bees?

58K views 141 replies 31 participants last post by  Stephenpbird 
#1 ·
So who has fogged there bees and it worked?
I seen the fat bee guy youtube using mineral oil does this work?
 
#69 ·
Maryland Beekeeper, I hear you, I don't expect anything major helping the bees in the near future either, I mean, how much more is there to learn about the mite that we don't already know, most of what we know or are capable of knowing about the mite is behind us. Until a better bee is developed that is extremely hygienic towards the mite, we are going to have to continue to experiment with new treatments that can kill a bug on a bug without harming the host bug over the longer term. John
 
#70 ·
Could fogging knock the mites back enough so that the bees can survive and still be able to build a natural resistance to them? I understand that it will not kill all of them, but maybe enough to make a difference. I would like to not only see my hives but the feral bees in my area develop a resistance to the mites and the viruses if that is possible.
 
#72 ·
Well what i have planed for this year is to use drone frames plus have a brood break and use SBBs and fogging when needed . Plus i'm going to make some splits maybe some swarms{thats another problem i need to figure out} and make try to make 10 nucs for spring .
And of course queens so i'm sure i'll have bees going into winter.
I'll be keeping records on all my hives and i'll let everyone know how fogging works out .
Can't wait till spring i checked my hives today and all are humming peacfully theres some bee's that must of thought it was warm and it was not and they didn't make it back to the hives and dot the snow with there bodys:(
 
#74 ·
well I an not going to say a lot about 4.9 cell size or fogging for one reason. two many arm chair experts that have maybe 1-3 hives come across as a expert and just confuse new beekeepers her to learn. when I would post here some know it all deletes it so why make a effort to post. I run plenty hives and make a living at it. I sell bees and queens to those no believers in fogging or 4.9
let me tell you just 1 thing why there not going to say it works==THERE IS NO MONEY IT FOR THEM CAN'T MAKE A DIME ON IT. now I will be silent for many more yrs. just one thing look at how long some of these guys been on here with thousands of post, I been on here many yrs with less then 500 post=======I will wait to see how long it takes for this to be deleted
 
#76 ·
fat/beeman if thats you in the youtube on fogging well just to let you know i'm on 4.9 cell and just bought a fogger and i'll know how it works this spring and i must say thank you for the info i listen to all good beekeeper that give good knowledge about beekeeping and now i know how to fog i didn't know anything about it a month ago but thanks to you i now know..:D
 
#75 ·
There's no money in vitamins, herbs, supplements etc., the cure comes with the surgical knife and drugs, that's the way they want it to be because that's where the money is. Could there be a similar situation when it comes to varroa treatments, I really don't think so in this case, IMO. However, I do think that there is some help with FGMO and smaller cell size. John
 
#82 ·
I understand that the actual fogging process takes only seconds. The problem for me is that I have my bees in three different yards and I would spend at least 2 1/2 hours just in driving time to go to all three locations. I'm not able to do that every week. My full time job and family responsibilities keep me pretty busy. My hives are a hobby and passion of mine, not my livelihood.

If it's working for you I think that's great. Like I said before, I'm just relating what Dr R said to me years ago. If I would keep up with it as recommended it may work fine for me too.

In your methodology, how often do you fog your hives?
 
#81 ·
thanks for all the kind works I am in the chat room most eves to answer questions and help if I can. I try to pass on good info no=BS I have nothing to prove to anyone here just a old beekeeper try to pass on a art form to the younger generation.I have made my living for over 50 yrs commercially and there is no need for chem's. once a beekeeper reaches a place there is nothing to prove to anyone but him self======lol


Don...............>>>>>>>>the fatbeeman
 
#88 ·
There are three basic classes of refined mineral oils:

paraffinic oils, based on n-alkanes
naphthenic oils, based on cycloalkanes
aromatic oils, based on aromatic hydrocarbons (distinct from essential oils)
You might want to see if any of the oils fall under the broader classification of Mineral Oils. Studies woudl tend to be more specific in the exact oil they used. while many oils fall under the name Mineral oil.
 
#89 ·
Yea, I can't find anything either. The best reference with a track record would be with Fat Beeman. He's a queen breeder with stock that he has been selecting for many years. The best chance for success might be the combination of his queens, 4.9 cell comb, and FGMO fogging. If that's his formula, and it works, replicate it. Perhaps it takes a combination of all three to be successful.
 
#91 · (Edited)
#92 ·
Nice find. That's the exact protocol that Pedro had sent to me. "Weekly" fogging "with Thymol" in the FGMO. The only difference is that he told me Thymol soaked cords were necessary as well to guarantee success. Personally I think much of the effectiveness can be attributed to the action of the Thymol rather than the oil itself, as in other Thymol based products such as Api Life Var.

Anyway, glad you found this more current fogging study. I wish they would have collected alcohol wash mite counts, but the data they did record is sufficient evidence to prove a point.
 
#95 ·
He's in the chat room most nights i went in last night and he answered a few questions for me on fogging.
The beekeepers that are here sometime can get in to some heated discussions and i'm guessing he got mad at some of them and had posts deleted if you look back on this post he said something about his post getting deleted. He has 130 youtubes.
 
#100 ·
In the video Don doesn't mention Thymol so I don't think he uses it. Better check with him if he uses sbb cause a lot of the fog goes out the bottom. Have used check mite once in 2000 used aplifevar once 3 years ago used hop guard twice this year have cleared up dwv twice using fgmo. So why did I stop using fgmo. Had the inspector come out and it's not approved for use. All the authorities at the local bee meetings say it doesn't work. So I have started using fgmo it again. Pedro was run off this forum I can't believe they way he was treated. Worse than in tailgator. I also remember he requested all his posts be removed. THANKS FAT BEEMAN
 
#101 ·
Pedro was not "run off the forum." There were forum rules then as there are now. The fact is, some people don't like venues where civil discourse takes place, where they are questioned and debated. I lost interest in FGMO when the prescribed method kept changing and eventually required thymol. So what's actually doing the job, FGMO or thymol? Yes, he requested that his posts be removed. I obliged, but wouldn't do so again as the record can now be made up if one wishes.

FGMO is a treatment, as is thymol. It's disingenuous for anyone to claim treatment free if they use either of these IMO.
 
#103 ·
Pedro was not "run off the forum." .
When a group of people berate someone to the point that person leaves a discussion I call that being “run off” has nothing to do with rules. I did not mean to imply he was run off by the moderator. Sorry ya took it that way. Cup of tea maybe???
The fact is, some people don't like venues where civil discourse takes place, where they are questioned and debated. .
The civility of the discourse bordered on personal attacks if not outright insults I don’t blame him for leaving.
Yes, he requested that his posts be removed. I obliged, but wouldn't do so again as the record can now be made up if one wishes. .
Is someone making stuff up?? I don’t think I have. If so fill me in.
FGMO is a treatment, as is thymol. It's disingenuous for anyone to claim treatment free if they use either of these IMO.
I also don’t think anyone using it has indicated it was treatment free. I think fat beeman used the term organic but not treatment free. A cup of tea maybe???
 
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