Search Results for ‘treatment free’

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/beekeeper-confidential-bees-beekeeping/id1436653043?i=1000440071666 I just listened to this podcast interview of a very well known researcher of the varroa mite. No matter how or if you treat he talks about how much more destructive varroa is then when it...

I am living in Ava Missouri, near the center of town and the bee tree is less than 50 yard from my back door. It was about 3 years ago that I saw the first swarm come out of this tree and not knowing anything about bees I called a beekeeper to come and get them. I just happened to be home when...

Hi everyone. I'm Nick, I live in Southwest Michigan, and I am a recovering package-buying beekeeper. Three years of doing that, three years of Georgia bees dying for various reasons. PSM, SHB, mice, condensation, and bad beekeeping too I'm sure. I'm ready to try something different this time...

INTRODUCTION: My intent for this thread is to chronicle the successes and failures of my apiary. I have written on here a few times and people expressed an interest in seeing how things pan out for me. This will be the thread that I will continually update as the years progress. Here's a quick...

Hi All TF Beekeeps, I have been TF for about 5 years and it was going pretty well till last years drought.. We experienced terrible dryness here last year beginning about mid July. My bees ate through their honey and I had to start supplementing with syrup. I figured out they were truly in...

Hello all, My name is Marcel I am a Horticulture student in San Luis Obispo CA and I am getting back into beekeeping after taking a 4 year hiatus due to drought and a frustration with dead bees. This reboot I'm going to use a foundationless 10 frame Lang design simply because it is what I have...

Trying to be TF but willing to be reasonable this second year after losing 2out of three hives. I checked drone capped brood mid summer and there were 2/20 mites. Queen shut down briefly in summer. Two weeks ago did the same the number was quite higher 9/20 with more than one with 2 mites and...

Here is a fun thought! In learning about TF beekeeping I keep on concluding feral local colonies may be a great way to go. Before I go any further, I'd like to clarify I would rather capture swarms from a feral colony than to remove a feral colony. Anyhow, I think it would be fun to do some...

Question for TF folks. I understand one TF premise is to allow bees and mites to coexist in the hive. Presumably the bee colony has figured out how to keep the mite population below threatening levels. My question is in such scenario, how does the colony deal with deformed wing virus?

I am just learning about TF beekeeping and I am interested in getting your thoughts on what you consider are the keys to treatment free beekeeping. My main goal is colony survival. Honey production is not even a factor for me at this stage. I am in the PNW and therefore mostly concerned with...

Hi! I co-host a podcast Chill and Ambitious where we interview Life Innovators--people who tailor their daily desires and lifelong passions into their everyday. We were lucky enough to have Scott Jorgensen of Hercules Bees on the show. He explains how his experience with the killer bees of...

I installed my 2 packages of bees on the 9th of this month, released the queen the 11th, and checked this evening for brood- didn't see any! The packages were delivered to the pick up location on the 7th so they were with her for 5 days. Should I give them more time? I didn't see her but I am a...

Hello Everyone, I live in Ontario and after attending a FANTASTIC Treatment Free Workshop by Michael Bush in Lindsay (thanks again Michael !), I plan on transitioning to treatment free this season. I have three hives (each with two deep brood boxes) that overwintered very well, and are...

I am a beekeeper in North Texas and have been experimenting with small cell and treatment free beekeeping for a number of years. After a hiatus of about 5 years I returned to beekeeping. However, I kept a small apiary during that time on my acreage. Happily I do have one survivor hive after...

Hi everyone Firstly, I didn't put this question in the treatment free section, as I want those who have moved away from it to put in their two cents as well. I would like to know, for those of you that are beekeeping in a cold climate (Zone 4 or less, here is a map if you are not sure of your...

I would like to hear about experiences folks have with swapping nuc splits with other beeks. In order to gain genetic diversity. More interested in hearing about what works. Less interested in cautionary tales or carmudgeonly griping.

Hello folks, I have one hive that has been doing fine treatment free for 9 years. Last year I collected and hived a swarm from this hive. The hived swarm was over wintered in a deep hive body and by April of this year they had drawn out all the frames in the deep. It was thick with bees...

I wanted to put out there a blog I'm writing. I keep langstroth and topbar hives, that are both treatment free. The blog covers that and lots of other things. http://www.foxhoundbeecompany.com/beekeepingblog/

This is a pic of Sam Comfort's version of bee keeping. It might make you re-think everything that is an industry standard. Completely treatment free.

After 6 seasons on not treating (25-40% winter losses depending upon year) I had a massive loss last year (8/11 hives, 10/10 nucs). I wrote it off to bad management due to unavoidable time constraints and a very tough winter. I rarely had time to manage the hives and my personal experience makes...