James Plaisted <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> My personnal oppinion is that some may get bye with no
> treatments, for awhile, but then comes the big realization
> that dead bees don't make honey...

Hi Jim,

Nice to hear from you.  I know that you were into the feral bee thing, and I encourage you to keep up some ongoing efforts in this area.  But,  I’m not sure that “no treatments” equates to “dead bees”.   I see this equation made by beekeepers all the time.  The problem is, that beekeepers tend to want to blame a single event for there problems, and beekeepers that have hives die in years they use no treatments have a convenient scape goat, partly because everybody makes assertions that bees will die without treatments. This gives false comfort and good cause for future failure by ignoring the real cause, which perhaps is bees lacking in resistant traits. 

that harsh reality
> takes care of the no treatments crowd...

I want to say here that “no treatments” not a magic bullet,  it must be combined with good stock, as well as a multitude of good beekeeping practices.  A person promoting ‘no treatments’ or ‘small cell’ as a magic bullet is doomed to failure.  I am against the ’magic bullet theories’ in beekeeping!  Beekeeping, requires a multitude good beekeeping practices to be successful.  

you only need one
> careless beekeeper in your area, and everything changes. 
> Just my .02 cents worth.

I’m not one that believes other beekeepers problems can have a great impact on my bees.  I see bees as not being at the mercy of other bee colonies, or bad beekeepers.  But instead, at the mercy of their own fitness and disease resistant abilities.  I believe we are not helpless, we can breed our way out of any bee problem.  

PS. bear season starts here in PA soon.  I extend my usual offer of free jar of honey to every hunter that kills a bear on Derry ridge.

Best Wishes,
Joe
Derry, PA 




      

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