springtime crazyness

jclark96 · June 21, 2010, 11:45:32 AM

I made it through winter with my one hive doing well. I kept my bees crowded on purpose so I could split them. So we made the split, old queen into the new hive with less resources, most of the bees and brood into the old hive. They were to crowded and made almost 20 queen cells, so I split them again. A week later one hive swarmed, wish I have the camcorder. So now we have 4 hives, two are really strong and two that are getting there. Saturday we had a good time marking queens for the first time. You guys know the drill, find the unmarked queen, catch her, hold her still, mark her, hold her still some more for the paint to dry, let her back into her hive, then repeat two more times. It was good fun, thanks for all the help.

jclark96 · June 21, 2010, 11:48:58 AM

I forgot to mention I now have three big fat queens that have never been exposed to the typical beekeeping chemicals (except paint). I haven't treated any of these hives, and they made their own queens. Thanks again MB for the info on your website.

FRAMEshift · June 21, 2010, 12:11:03 PM

So you use no treatments? Great! Have you seen any varroa mites? Any SHB? Are you using foundation? I have had so many established beeks tell me it's not possible to raise bees without chemicals. I'd like to know why it works for you. Are you just very lucky? I doubt it.

NasalSponge · June 21, 2010, 05:53:54 PM

There are LOTS of us that are keeping bees chemical free....and yes I have varroa and on occasion SHB. It is not luck, it is a determined decision to not only stand on the shoulders, hard work, and sacrifices of those who have gone before us and been successful....and there are many, but to work to raise mite and disease resistant bees while letting the non-hackers die off. :-D

FRAMEshift · June 21, 2010, 08:26:13 PM

Quote from: NasalSponge on June 21, 2010, 05:53:54 PM
There are LOTS of us that are keeping bees chemical free....and yes I have varroa and on occasion SHB. It is not luck, it is a determined decision to not only stand on the shoulders, hard work, and sacrifices of those who have gone before us and been successful....and there are many, but to work to raise mite and disease resistant bees while letting the non-hackers die off. :-D

Ok, so are you using foundation? If so, what cell size? What I was reacting to was 96 saying he used NO treatments. Depends on what you mean by that. Does that mean no sugar shakes? No oil traps? I was actually wondering if he had isolated hives that had never seen mites or SHB. Or if, like MB, he was running foundationless or small cell foundation.

slacker361 · June 21, 2010, 10:06:34 PM

i think he said no chemicals, you can still do natural treatments right?

FRAMEshift · June 22, 2010, 10:12:01 AM

Quote from: slacker361 on June 21, 2010, 10:06:34 PM
i think he said no chemicals, you can still do natural treatments right?

Yes, you may be right. I guess that is what he meant.

NasalSponge · June 22, 2010, 12:20:41 PM

Oh...I do use some PMI.

FRAMEshift · June 22, 2010, 01:28:47 PM

Quote from: NasalSponge on June 22, 2010, 12:20:41 PM
Oh...I do use some PMI.

IPM?

jclark96 · June 23, 2010, 06:10:18 PM

I am completely foundationless at the moment. I have a few combs that are going to get trimmed in the early spring, they built a few out too far, but I had the same thing when I ran foundation. I am currently not doing any treatments at all. I do see some varroa mites, but I don't count them, if I had to estimate maybe 400-500 in two weeks? I had a pretty good battle raging with SHB last year. I have one hive with one oil trap in it from last year, but I haven't checked it in months. I kill all of the SHB that I see, and let the bees do the rest. I am going to let the bees decide if they are strong enough to survive. I don't need or expect 200lbs of honey from each hive. I keep bees for enjoyment and knowledge.