jlg7001’s Recent Comments

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  organic bees...

  I'm an "organic" beekeeper and have been following the info about CCD with great interest.  I'm just a backyard beekeeper, and am not certified.  However, the original writer (Tom) should know that there is a large group (about 1200 and counting) of beekeepers that don't use ANY chemicals (including formic acid) in their hives.  I suppose it could be called "biological beekeeping", because we try to keep our hives in the way that bees would do it in the wild.  What's it called?  It's called "small cell beekeeping."  You can read more about it here from the folks that pioneered the method: http://www.beesource.com/pov/lusby/index.htm

  Lusby's (actually, just Dee now, as Ed passed away late last year) are commercial beekeepers and have nearly a 1,000 hives.

  And not a single one of us have experienced CCD either, for what it's worth.  There is speculation that it's due to many factors, not just one, and there is also a theory (unproven) that perhaps there was something that contaminated the HFCS that the commercial beeks were feeding their bees, similar to the pet food recalls.  I guess we may find out in time, or we may never find out!  In the meantime, I'll continue to keep my bees without the use of any chemicals, thank you very much...

  Julia, somewhere in far Northern CaliforniaOn So far, small-scale, local-minded beekeepers have dodged hive collapse. posted 2 years, 6 months ago 19 Responses

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  Colony Collapse Disorder - an unscientific theory.

  I'm a backyard beekeeper and have been for 6 years.  I'm also a dedicated organic gardener and didn't want to use any harsh chemicals in my hives, but was told that I would HAVE to, or my bees would die.  So the first year, I dutifully put in acaracides to combat the deadly varroa mites.  Results?  My hive died out anyway.  Thinking there must be a better way, I did some investigating and there is a small, but growing, group of beekeepers dedicated to doing beekeeping the natural way, the way the bees would do it if we weren't there to house 'em (and there ARE still feral bees out there, despite what you may read).
  Most people do not know that their "100% pure natural honey" contains not only acaracides, but antibiotics, organophosphates ("Checkmite +") and other nasties.  Natural?  I think not.  But I DO think that constantly "treating" bees with antibiotics, acaracides and other chemicals is what is causing this mystery collapse.  Entomologists discovered that the bees had compromised immune systems.  Sound familiar?

  I encourage EVERYONE who wants to make sure their honey really IS natural and pure to only purchase organic honey, because that is the only way you can assure that you are getting non-contaminated honey.

  Those more interested in learning about how beekeepers do it without chemicals, check out "Small Cell beekeeping", pioneered by Ed and Dee Lusby.  That's how I've kept my bees for the last 5 years and I wouldn't go back to the "conventional" way.  I'd rather give up beekeeping, and I LOVE keeping bees, or rather, they keep me, I suppose.  JuliaOn CSI: My Apiary posted 2 years, 8 months ago 9 Responses