hive treatments

[heaflaw]

What do your treat for?  To answer that you do not treat at all, you must be "successful" at keeping the hives strong enough to have a harvest.

[Robo]

you must be "successful" at keeping the hives strong enough to have a harvest.

I would think that would be a prereq for any method.... :?

[BeeHopper]

I have treated for the Varroa in the last 3 seasons with Apiguard which is consider a soft chemical. Anything that you put into the hive whether it be the hard or soft chemical and even sugar will be detrimental to the overall health of the honey bee. I am officially on the Treatment Free Bandwagon.  :-D

[Joelel]

I haven't treated for anything and will not unless i have to. Who treats for foulbrood, You can't get rid of it,the best thing to do is burn your hive.

[Robo]

Who treats for foulbrood, You can't get rid of it,the best thing to do is burn your hive.

So the books want you to believe.......

[Grandma_DOG]

I haven't treated for anything and will not unless i have to. Who treats for foulbrood, You can't get rid of it,the best thing to do is burn your hive.

not true, hives can overcome this.  The old method from Miller's time was to combine with a stronger hive and it gets cured.

[Kathyp]

that's not a valid prerequisite.  i have very strong hives, but have had bad honey harvests for 3 years.  no treatment.

[NasalSponge]

that's not a valid prerequisite.

Agreed...to many variables involved in harvest

[heaflaw]

you must be "successful" at keeping the hives strong enough to have a harvest.

I would think that would be a prereq for any method.... :?

Yes, you all are correct.  Maybe I should have said "not about to die" or just "strong hives".

[Joelel]

American foulbrood








American foulbrood (AFB) is a highly infectious disease deadly to honeybee larvae and is far more serious than European foulbrood (EFB).  AFB can destroy entire apiaries of strong honeybee colonies and is the most widespread of honeybee brood diseases.  Unlike other bee diseases, AFB can persist in a contagious form for up to 60 years, surviving in a dormant stage as spores.  American foulbrood is introduced into a bee colony through transmission of the spores, which are formed by the bacterium bacillus larvae. The vegetative (adult) stage of bacillus larvae is not infectious to honeybees.  Although adult bees are not directly affected by American foulbrood, the colony will eventually die through lack of brood, which are all killed by the disease.

AFB spores are highly resistant to drying, heating, and attempts to disinfect with chemicals. The only known effective treatment of AFB is complete destruction of the infected hives by burning them.  Spores are introduced into non-infected hives by foreign bees already infested with AFB, use of infected equipment, or hive hardware or extractors bearing the spores. Beekeepers using contaminated equipment are the greatest cause for the spread of AFB.  Sloppy beekeeper practices that commonly spread AFB include: using beekeeping equipment among multiple apiary locations; sharing honey extraction equipment between beekeepers; and using hive woodenware from infected apiaries.

The only methods of combating AFB are preventive measures.  Good beekeeping practices, including avoiding sharing beekeeping equipment and hive hardware among multiple apiaries, are the most effective methods.  The judicious and timely use of preventive medication has also proven to be an invaluable tool in curbing the spread of this deadly honeybee blight.  Preventive medication is available in several forms of terramycin.  By far, the easiest and most effective means of administering terramycin is with extender patties; they don't require mixing with syrup and the terramycin doesn't quickly lose its efficacy quickly as it does when the powdered form is mixed in sugar syrup.  You should feed each colony an extender patty in early spring, before the first honeyflow starts, and in late fall, after the last honeyflow and honey harvest.

http://www.beecare.com/indexDynFrames.htm?http://www.beecare.com/Bees/Metamorphosis.htm&1

[Joelel]

I haven't treated for anything and will not unless i have to. Who treats for foulbrood, You can't get rid of it,the best thing to do is burn your hive.

not true, hives can overcome this.  The old method from Miller's time was to combine with a stronger hive and it gets cured.

I sure wouldn't combine hives and give it to an other hive.

[alflyguy]

I'm surprised you didn't include small hive beetles in the list. I have traps for them although I haven't used them yet.