verroa anyone not treat bees

[fox403]

i have had my bees two years now never seen verroa or had to treat my bees for it just wondering if anyone one else north of Northumberland has had to treat there bees?

 

[Teemore]

Do you monitor for varroa presnce in your colonies?

I do treat for varroa but it is only the odd hive that has a drop of 100 or so mites... This year I am yet to see phoretic mites on any of my bees and when I have uncapped drone cells have only seen varroa present in one colony and that at a level way below that at which FERA etc recommend treatment.

 

[fox403]

looked at every hive have trays under some and non...do think guys in the south have bigger problem with cross contamination than us further north

 

[Stromnessbees]

Varroa resistance compromised by neonicotinoids

Bees can develop a certain amount of resistance as long as they are not compromised by neurotoxic pesticides.

Beekeepers who have oilseed rape or other crops in their area which have seed treatments of neonicotinoids have to expect much higher levels of varroa than others.

These pesticides are designed to stop the natural defense mechanisms of insects living in colonies, which are mainly based on grooming and cleaning:

Premise® Insecticide, introduced by Bayer Corporation in 1996, works synergistically with nature to provide value-added termite control. Premise Plus Nature,TM the term the manufacturer uses to describe the product's unique mode of action, affects termites by making them susceptible to infection, disease and death by naturally occurring organisms.

ww.pctonline.com/Article.aspx?article_id=39807

Termites are not very different from bees, and both types of insects keep their colonies healthy by strict hygiene.

If this hygienic behaviour is interrupted by neurotoxic pesticides the colonies will succumb to any challenge that comes along.

 

[domino]

I read that report and it doesn't mention parasites. Is there any research that points to sub lethal effects changing behaviours that reduce infestation? Give these are banned elsewhere I'd imagine there should be some.

 

[Chris Luck]

Some interesting hypothesis Stromnessbees, but they don't seem to hold water here. My colonies are surrounded by intensive agriculture with the very high usage of both systemic and sprays and I have no problem with not treating my bees or their survival...

....not that I approve of chemical interventions, ("cides"), far from it, may land is chemical free, just not sure that things are always quite what people may like them to be from either camp - all good or all bad...

..of course there is no such thing as a harmless "cide".

Chris