Hi Dee and bee keepers.... One big component of bucking up is to reduce hive
stress. Here are some--of a long list of--ways that Serge LeBesque, an
amazing bee manager maestro and teacher, who is adamantly opposed to
applying chemicals to hives, recommends:  start with a healthy nuc (as
opposed to a package), position the hive in a hospitable location with
summer shade, winter warmth, wind and rain protection (a sheltered, southern
exposure among non-toxic, flowering deciduous trees is good), provide easily
accessible water with floats, provide an awning over the hive entrance to
reduce heat, a roof that wicks away water and prevents condensation from
dripping into the hive (serge uses a feeder tray at the top for this purpose
and a roof that sheds water away from the hive), plenty of year-round
forage; manage the hive so that honey is accessible directly above the bees
in winter so that they can move as a group (which they do for warmth) to
reach it quickly and easily, make sure there is plenty of accessible honey
in winter; do not open the hive on cold days especially in winter, make sure
there is room for growth in the hive, position a tray and screen at the
bottom of the hive so that mites cannot crawl back up once they fall off the
bees--other advantages with the bottom tray are that you can tell a lot
about what's going on in the hive by looking at the tray (therefore, you do
not have to open the hive as often, which stresses the bees), and moths are
attracted to the litter in the tray and lay their eggs there instead of the
hive; don't use smoke if you don't have to, never tap or pound on the hive,
and sundry other good management practices. Cheers...

Mary Bull, Co-director
Greenwood Earth Alliance, Save the Redwoods - Boycott the Gap Campaign
252 Frederick, San Francisco, CA 94117 http://www.gapsucks.org
Chalice Farm and Sustainable Living Center, 748 Montgomery Rd, Sebastopol CA
95472
415-731-7924 - 415-509-1188 [log in to unmask]


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Dee Lusby" <[log in to unmask]>
To: "Mary Bull - Greenwood Earth Alliance" <[log in to unmask]>;
<[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Sunday, March 18, 2007 12:52 PM
Subject: Re: [BEE-L] Chemicals and Bee Operations


> Mary Bull Writes:
> advocate bucking up the health and immune system of the
> bees, in lieu of attempting to kill the virus.
>
> Reply:
> Now explain what you mean by bucking up the health and
> immune system of the bees in lieu there of.........
>
>
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> We won't tell. Get more on shows you hate to love
> (and love to hate): Yahoo! TV's Guilty Pleasures list.
> http://tv.yahoo.com/collections/265
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