Comments on: The Treatment-free Varroa Mite Bomb Conspiracy Theory

By: Daniel

Daniel — Sun, 02 May 2021 03:47:55 +0000

You do realize the only way your plan works is if you just about live on an island and control 100% of the drone population in your area with no other outside influence whatsoever right? There’s the science for you. If there are as many “feral colonies” as you say they’re are, the way gene coding works is the traits you’re trying to achieve for in honeybees sound be watered down within less than a few months due to the life cycle of spring bees vs winter bees. There’s the science for you and the funny thing is anyone who actually keeps bees more than just a hobby can quickly see you have absolutely no clue what you’re talking about.

By: David Terry

David Terry — Wed, 29 May 2019 15:29:47 +0000

I agree with the treatment free mentality. I propagate what I call “survivor” bees.

By: Dale Tongue

Dale Tongue — Sun, 15 Jul 2018 05:32:29 +0000

Back in the 60’s, I grew up with Bees and at one time, my Dad had about 30 colonies. Those days are what I call the “pre mite” days, and the Bees did well. I wish my Bees could have the same prosperity that my Dad’s did. In this article, the writer talks about feral Bees and how there are some out there that are mite free due to grooming, etc. So where are these Bees? I’d love to have them as my primary colonies. I believe they are dying at the same rate but the idea of a chemical free Nirvana colony just doesn’t exist. The universities and breeders and working towards the colonies that do help sanitize the hive (Hygenic), but that’s not a success yet if I’m not mistaken. So, it’s my take that we’re just talking Nirvana….fumigate the colony and help them survive. Once they come up (or find) the colonies that do actually kill the mites, Nirvana will have arrived.

By: Scott McArt

Scott McArt — Sun, 29 Oct 2017 18:23:30 +0000

Well before your hive collapses from mites, the bees will become infected with viruses that Varroa transmits to them. We now know that these viruses can be transmitted to wild bees in the area, impacting their health.

So it’s not just your neighboring beekeepers who you’re impacting by refusing to manage varroa. You’re causing reductions in wild bee health.

Treat your bees. Unless you carefully control your genetics at a very sophisticated level, there’s too much gene flow in and out of your operation for you to have any meaningful control on natural/artificial selection.

If you still don’t want to treat, consider reducing the size of your hives down to 1 full body (no honey supers). This will encourage the bees to swarm much more often, which will naturally create a brood gap that is very effective at minimizing Varroa. Obviously you will get less honey this way, but you’re also less likely to reduce overall pollinator health in your neighborhood.

By: Ben D

Ben D — Wed, 16 Aug 2017 14:29:18 +0000

Please read this, not because it’s from ‘Randy Oliver’, but because it’s logical well thought out science based management. “What you believe” should not come into play when responsibly managing bees or any creature. Leave human emotion & any anthropomorphic BS out of it. *Note citation #10, Mite bombs are real!(Great study, thank goodness for those grad students tracking all those bees).
http://scientificbeekeeping.com/the-varroa-problem-part-6b/

By: Deb Corcoran

Deb Corcoran — Thu, 27 Jul 2017 21:48:25 +0000

Hello to you; well I am going to disagree with you on this from just reading your first few sentences on this subject. Trying to be treatment free is nothing new, beekeepers have been trying for YEARS, and to emphasize this statement, A REALLY REALLY REALLY long time to get those “hardy” bee’s to purchase to no avail as of yet. The genetics disappear eventually. I am not saying it is impossible, there are beeks that claim this, but I think it is all management that needs to be learned from an experienced beekeeper who knows the science of honey bees and how to achieve this. Most new beekeepers have a save the bee’s mentality and the anti- Monsanto/Bayer mentality and are truly mite- bombs unfortunately for us other beeks near them.
As for your last two paragraphs most colonies ARE susceptible to varroa mites. Have a conversation with Dr. Tom Seeley of Cornell, Randy Oliver and the scientists on the honey bee forum Bee-l; Rusty Burlew of Honey Bee Suite, Dr. Jerry Bromenshenk of U of Montana who teaches a Master Beekeeping Class there. I think we need something much more complicated thst will alter the mites DNA to help our honey bees. And let’s not forget all the other pollinators out there; the phrase ” if the honey bees die we will lose ⅓ of our food” is ridiculous. We will get there eventually but just not yet. Thanks for your blog.

By: jay

jay — Thu, 27 Jul 2017 20:36:34 +0000

In reply to Don. At least kill the hive (and mites) before it can be robbed. Then use the honey and comb on your terms.

By: DWIGHT DELATTRE

DWIGHT DELATTRE — Thu, 27 Jul 2017 14:08:24 +0000

WE LOST TWO HIVE OVER THE LAST 2 YEARS. YES THEY WHERE PURCHASED LOCALLY . SO WHERE OR WHO WOULD BE A GO PLACE TO GET A STRONG HIVE

By: Don

Don — Thu, 27 Jul 2017 13:40:36 +0000

“So, is it really unneighborly or irresponsible to not treat your bees? You tell me!”

yes

By: Chappie McChesney

Chappie McChesney — Thu, 20 Jul 2017 21:46:23 +0000

For the last 10 years I have been teaching new beekeepers how to keep their bees alive without using any chemicals and they are having great success. The only hives they lost were ones purchased from a local seller that had inferior bees/queens. Of course when they all died, it was the new beekeeper’s fault. The story never ends with some folks that can’t see the forest for the trees and continue to poison their own hives with chemicals. I say to each his/her own and do what you need to do without worrying about what others say. Until they buy my bees they need to go their own way and stop worrying about what others do. Of course they have to blame someone for their failures. It couldn’t be they are wrong. LOL