As a new follower of yours, think it's awesome to see how much knowledge you've taken in, and that you're sharing it with everyone on TH-cam. I think you're now a great source of beekeeping knowledge.
and to this day, the legend remains of the time about 1 cup of bees were abducted and coated with sugar, then shaken, not stirred. if you listen closely, you can still hear their angry buzzing.
This is a really knowledgeable inspector. His varroa inspection with sugar is smart and human way. I have seen some people putting two cups of bees in some alcohol. Killing bees to inspect for varroa. That is really bad way. When I see a bee struggling in the water, I'm running to rescue it. This is really good presentation. Thanks.
Hello Viewers! IF you have come here to insult or put down the Dept. of Agriculture or this State Bee Inspector, expect to have your comment deleted. Were it not for this specific inspector, I would not have my own honey bees. All the way back in 2006, I was photographing honey bee conditions and this very well informed individual suggested that I get my own colonies for study right on my own property. I have learned so much and am addicted to the observation of honey bees. I always cooperate with Dept. of Ag regulations and have the utmost respect for their Vets, Inspectors, Technicians, and laboratory diagnosticians. From poultry to honey bees, they are wonderful competent people. This is my channel and I will keep it positive.
That is a very good question. All I can say for sure is that PA has the requirement. The USDA, like so many of our government entities, does a very good job of making it almost impossible to find specific information governing each State within the U.S. Inspection requirements for the entire U.S. is very difficult to determine beyond import-export regs. Here is a link, I think it's easier to search within your own home State. www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/planthealth/import-information/permits/regulated-organism-and-soil-permits/SA_Bees/CT_Regulated_Organism_Soil_Permits
Then why enable comments? If anything you're doing yourself a disservice by not allowing folks to argue on here. (Obviously generic hate comments can be deleted)
Hi James, I certainly do allow discussions, I was responding to comments that simply dress down the inspector in a personal and insulting way. Those comments are non-productive and I didn't want any more anti-government rants, just trying to save them some time. I certainly allow constructive criticism, that's how we all improve in my opinion. I just don't provide a forum for hate.
I get that he's a good guy and cares about bees, but the best channel for these activities is through beekeeping organisations, not the government. Regulatory monopolies inevitably become a weapon in the hands of the powerful, not an effective curb on the market. Sure, a sick hive can spread sickness, but unless this guy also inspects every wild hive in the area then a sick hive is going to happen one way or the other.
When I saw the thumbnail, it was full of grey bees. I thought "Ho no, what fresh hell is this...? A fungus? A parasite? An infection??" But it was just SUGAR from their fitness test! XD It's like they got rolled in lollipops after a doctor's visit, I love it! XD
PiranhaCupcake me too! I wondered if the hive was being invaded by some type of moth. With all the powdered sugar on them, they look more like a moth than a bee. Love the inspector. So much great information to be learned from him.
Very educational, especially for a newbee like me who's expecting his first nuc's come this May (2022). Thank you Fred for taking the time to video this State Inspector's visit.
Wow I love the powdered sugar method. I watched a commercially owned bee farm employee demonstrate the alcohol method and I was horrified. I want to have bees sooner or later and that demonstration almost made me scrap the idea. I would be too attached to my bee's to kill them because I know how intelligent and wonderful they are. It was so nice to see the more humane method, and has restored my interest. Great video. Thank you.
Watching these videos helped me tremendously in getting over my fear of bees. I'm allergic but I don't want them sending me into a panic Everytime one comes near me. Thanks
you are a product of what the government wants, people who want the governments nose in their business all the time. I love it when people who can't make wax, or honey and have survived for thousands of years without man call bees dumb..
What an excellent inspector. He has a great attitude and You can tell he really enjoys what he does. Possesses great attention to detail and respects people and their hives.
You have come a long way, Frederick. Not that there is anything wrong with this video. This is my first year beekeeping and you are one of my go to instructors. Thanks for all that you do. Also, thumbs up for keeping it positive.
Wow 😂😂😂😂 This is the first time I'm seeing the powdered sugar method. I've never seen this before. A very good idea. The bees 🐝🐝🐝🐝look funny when they're full of powdered sugar 😂😂😂 And it's a gentle method. Thanks for this beautiful and insightful video. I love bees. Even if I'm allergic and always keep a large distance from bees. Bees are wonderful and do great things. Great Job. Thx and Respect. 🐝❤
"But they did give me a great video". I loved that this came up on my feed. Come down this fall and hang around for some of the cut-outs. When they are the Africanized colonies; things get spicy!
Hi Tim, the learning never stops and I'm always open to what others have to share. People can start keeping bees and observe something new, or discover an improvement that others have missed for decades... I'm always open to what others know and have learned :)
I know this is seven years old, but it’s very timely for me. I’m literally sitting here, waiting for the state inspector to arrive for my very first inspection. Thx Fred, excellent info as usual! 😊 🐝
I really enjoyed the video because there are a lot of benefits to having the inspector check out your hives because there might be something you are unaware of. The knowledge he can give you is priceless.
This is great considering I just had my first hive inspection about a month ago. It was a great experience. We got to taking about you and your TH-cam channel and such since I live just down in barkeyville PA (so we got the same inspector). Love your videos, keep up that good work.
Hi Charles! Thank you for this comment and I'm so glad you have the chance to visit with this fantastic Inspector! He's the reason I have bees and I just wish they were paid more! I appreciate that you took the time to share here! Wishing you the best with your bees!
I grew up near Barkeyville, I live on the Outer Banks of North Carolina now and have a garden. I have to pollinate my plants by hand with a Qtip because there are no honey bees near me. I had always taken them for granted because they were everywhere in Venango County.
wow beautiful mite count for no treatment. let those babies spread those good genes in the environment!!! hello from a second year beekeeper in northern NH
This was so insightful! I am researching keeping bees as its always been a dream and I hate the thought of treating with chemicals and this seems like the best way to search for mites
"Armchair beekeeper" here. I'm retired so I don't have the money, strength or brains to keep hives for myself. :D Thank you for this video. I learned so much, especially watching the inspector "dust" for mites. It's also nice to see such a great relationship between you and the Inspector. Cheers!
8:23 "Pierco did not answer any of my questions regarding the composition of 'food grade plastic'." Blow mold operator here. I think I can help. Food grade plastics are typically polyethylene based plastics such as PETE or HDPE. They also cannot contain impurities hazardous to human health (such as non-food grade machine grease) or inedible dyes. And that's about it; there's not a whole lot to it. Hope that helps clear things up.
I was just scrolling around TH-cam before school and you made an amazing video helping me by giving me more information as I am wanting to start my own Beehive
One of the most interesting and informative bee videos that I've seen, to date! I was just recently introduced to beekeeping, up close, by a friend that maintains about 18 hives, in RI...and I'm happy to report that he does so conscientiously and responsibly, regardless of the apparent lack of regulation in his state. Your written comments on 'survivor' bees, and the inspectors comments on how selective breeding may be counterproductive, are excellent observations and food for thought. Time to have a long discussion with my friend, about these topics, as I learn! Thanks for a great video! :-)
Mr. Dunn, thank you for posting this. I am taking a serious look at beekeeping, and am doing my homework with research and education with the plan of starting hives 2 years from now (2020 season.) I found the inspector highly informative, and like you, I'd be asking many questions. Excellent video.
Hi Paul, so glad you enjoyed it and I hope your upcoming bee management experience will be a good one. I do enjoy the State Inspector visits as it's a great opportunity to learn what's going on with other keepers and their bees. I also get to learn about how well my hives are measuring up as compared to others. This Inspector actually got me into keeping bees back in 2007, so I also consider him to be a friend. I used to just photograph bees and various apiary conditions and that's how I originally met him. One day he just said "Fred.. you need to have your own bees".. so I got some.
"Okay now just go in here" *BZZZZZTTTTTTTTTTT* "yeah nah, doesn't look like there's any mites that's good" *more angry BZZZTTs from sugar-covered bees who don't like being shaken*
Yeah Imagine if a giant alien dumped a bunch of humans in a swimming pool sized container, then poured candy all over them and started shaking the container profusely.
That sugar shake is such a cool idea. Not being a beekeeper (YET) I always assumed that if you had any kind of infestation you'd only find out about it through die off. Covering the girls in sugar and doing a quick shake check to make sure everyone's fit before treating with something potentially harmful is genius.
We're fortunate here in Pennsylvania to have the inspections and registrations. The inspectors are well educated and have many helpful ideas for all of us. Don't fear our inspectors but welcome them and their help. Nice video showing our friendly inspectors and what they do.
You're right Bee Bob... I always enjoy being inspected and learning about what other keepers are dealing with, plus if something is wrong with my bees, I certainly want to know about it. Plus, we won't know if something is "going around" if we're not listed... very important for regional mapping of good and bad bee years/seasons.
Most interesting lots of helpful chatter. Down here in Aus we are so lucky to be free of varroa up till now. AFB is a real and present problem but we have a fairly prosperous industry here in Queensland. Thanks for sharing
It is very unfortunate how many diseases and parasites are now making their way around the world. I hope we can collectively learn and arrive at meaningful solutions.
Perhaps a stoopid question, but I really do want to know. At 6:38 when the powdered sugar bee's are returned to the colony, will their peers help them get that sugar off? If so, do they add it to the honey stores in the hive, or will it be thrown out?
Thank you, very interesting and enlightening, I've watched so many bee videos in the past few months, this one intermittently ( due to the magnification and fasting on this first day of Ramadan) really made me feel that I was one of those bees in the hive, it's the closest moment I've ever had to bee ing like a bee, in the resonating HZ frequency, I will need to keep coming back here to recapture the moment inshAllah, God willing into His Most perfect Design.
I never knew that to keep bees, I'd need to Register with the state and get Official Inspections! Very informative! I still don't think I'd ever be able to keep bees myself tho, bc i live in the city 😅😂
It's crazy that there are people who haven't seen bees before. Here in Australia you could hardly go a day(in spring or summer) without seeing multiple bees whenever you went into a garden or park.
Thank you so much, Ray, and no problem, there are lots of unhappy people out there :) I was going to make a mite-check video tutorial this Autumn, but the winter weather arrived early. Maybe in the spring, I'll be doing some more tutorials regarding bees.
@@FrederickDunnPlease do that I will look forward to watching them I am new next year is my first year and I have 2 boxes now complete so looking forward to spring, The more I can learn the better for me thanks for sharing and look forward to more from you cheers Merry Christmas my friend
I'll be doing a couple of honeybee seminars during December and January, covering things learned this past year and how to prepare for spring etc... thanks!
Ghost Bees! Was that a queen kind of by herself at the top of the frame at 12:45? Can't see the head or much thorax, but the abdomen seemed like the right elongated shape.
I'm so glad, thanks Sparky and yes, to keep even a few hives can be busy and you need to take time for them or it can go wrong in a very short amount of time :)
@@FrederickDunn Hi. I'm in Québec. I "adopted" my 1st colony last year (and inadvertently grew a second one through a noobie blunder). We are also obliged by law to register our bees, PLUS were are legally required to treat with various products (Québec is EXTREMELY bureaucratic). Our inspectors aren't know to be as amicable as the one in your video. Like Steve Parker, I have never seen the powdered sugar method and they never mentioned it in my Intro class to beekeeping. I think it's GREAT! I'm going to try it this summer.
@@MarekArawn Wait, you are "required to treat"? How does that work? If the bees are not demonstrating disease and are coping on their own, you're saying they mandate hive treatment as a preventive method? I don't understand that thinking at all. What are you treating for? That sounds like a terrible practice, I personally would much rather work with survivor stock that sustains themselves without treatment. In my opinion, that's the only sustainable path going forward.
@@FrederickDunn Sorry. I had to double-check that. I got that wrong in the worst way. I misinterpreted what was "strongly suggested" in various groups as being compulsory. Also, the supplier where I get my beekeeping supplies kinda implied it was the law.... oy. The whole thing can "bee" a little confusing : We take French bureaucracy and 'enhance' it by about 1 million.... But they've simplified it! 1) Animal Health Protection Act, chapter P-42, r. 5, Regulation respecting the registration of beekeepers (legisquebec.gouv.qc.ca/en/ShowDoc/cr/P-42,%20r.%205/); 2) The Bees Act (legisquebec.gouv.qc.ca/en/ShowDoc/cs/A-1) which covered bee health (it was apparently repealed in 2000, but is still on the books?); And 3) The Ministry of "Agriculture, Fisheries and Food" (www.mapaq.gouv.qc.ca/fr/Productions/santeanimale/obligations/abeilles/Pages/Enregistrementproprietairesabeilles.aspx) [NOT available in English. Désolé...) Essentially: * We are required to register our bees as soon as we get them or we risk a fine that can range between $250 $ to $2450 (however, under the Bees Act, if you poisoned bees, the fine was a whopping "$10 to $100 for the first offence, and to a fine of $20 to $200 for any subsequent offence"). Registration must be renewed annually. * You must maintain a registry (A) to indicate every time you receive bees or sell them * You must maintain a registry (B) to indicate when and where you have relocated bees (hives). Registries A and B must be kept for 5 years And, of course, you have to identify your hives with Name, address and phone number. Sorry for the confusion. :)
Wow! I was having trouble making that out. It sounds like a great hobby and have been watching a few videos here from you and youtubers alike. I am thinking about starting a small box in my backyard so thanks for the interesting videos and detailed commentary!
Hi, I’ve got a question. How does a beekeeper know how much honey can be harvested from a hive while leaving enough for the bees to survive the winter months?
That was amazing to find only 1 mite in 2 sugar shakes. A good tip is to put a little water on top of a 5 gal bucket lid and shake over that. The sugar dissolves and the mites show up better.
Thank you for that comment... I'm just not in the position to direct the PA State Bee Inspector in how to do the mite shake outs... but sounds good to me...
Hello, Your videos are very helpful Our State Bee Inspector is the legendary Ken Warchol. Ken is absolutely superb!! Did I hear correctly that you do no treat your hies with any mite treatment?
Wow Frederick, was this one of your first hives and videos? I started watching it and did not think if was you until I saw your name. So I has to be very early for you--like where I am right now. that hive is rocking! Even when you began it all looks great.
+Daniel Patterson Thank you! I'm so glad you found it to be beneficial... inspection is an opportunity to catch up and learn about what others are experiencing in your area. Just had another inspection two months ago, all continues to be great. Thanks for posting!
Nice Video im from pa too. I seen the sugar shake done over water the mites show up better just saying. If i would see that many queen cells on a frame I would do a split with them. I winter over 2 5 frame nucs with one 5 frame super of honey on them did good. thanks for sharing.
greetings from Lancaster PA! 😁 what a genuinely entertaining and educational video! thanks for sharing with us!! ❤️ if I may offer some constructive feedback, though... I wish you didn't keep cutting the footage in the middle of your discussions with the state inspector. I genuinely wanted to learn more about what he was saying and what you were talking about with him; as a viewer, I wish you didn't cut these discussions out 😞 but i still loved the video, how kind you are to your bees, and your reverence for the state agricultural inspectors.
I had to make those cuts so that the inspector didn't divulge personal information. He's a private fellow and also named some Dept. of Ag employees that preferred not to be mentioned. I included as much as I could. Just trying to keep him out of trouble :)
I've bee watching a ton of videos, thinking about getting a couple of hives for my retirement years, this is the first time I've heard about Ag Dept inspection. I live in PA.
HI Donald, in PA, as with most States, all bee hives fall under the Dept. of Agriculture and are considered live-stock. It is required that every beekeeper register their bees with the Dept of Ag and receive a site certificate. You may never be inspected, but it's important to do for many reasons, one of them being that you will get information regarding honey bee health issues in your area, or ag conditions which may affect your colonies. There are a lot of people who keep bees, even 20 hives plus, who refuse to register, think that "the Man" will get into their business. Truth is that it's more of a benefit than a burden. We all want healthy bees and I personally want to know what's going around in my neck of the woods. :) There are unregistered colonies that we refer to as "beekeeper BOMBS" because they often have serious conditions such as foul brood, particularly AFB, without inspection/detection, those uninspected/unregistered keepers can kill off hundreds of thousands of bees within a 3-mile radius and it spreads out from there...
Hello, I can see some bees flying in the hive with thicker yellow back legs, what are those type? Really interesting channel you have thank you for sharing 😎
Frederick Dunn, I am wondering how you manage to achieve such a 'clean' hive -ie. no varroa, disease etc. I'm just learning about bee keeping now, and we all are taught to use strips to control the varroa. Maybe they are stronger here (in NZ). I'm just wondering how you look after your bees so well, I guess I will learn more in other videos..
This was a remarkable inspection and I was only using survivor line hygienic bees at the time. They were wonderful about chewing mites off and grooming them away. I actually need to return to keeping only this line of bees as my apiary has made a varroa turn for the worse lately. I also am not satisfied that the inspector took enough time with the sugar shake method. I've learned since that it's far more time consuming than his demonstration.
I'm glad you enjoyed that Larry... I, unlike many, always enjoy being inspected by the Dept. of Ag... aside from being a great video opportunity, I learn from the inspectors. It is all quite simple actually, made complex by many meddling keepers who always seem to want to do "something" to their bees :)
Yes it would be nice to have an inspector come to my hives. Here in Southern Nevada there are no bee clubs or state bee inspectors. I am just on my own I read Bee Culture and ABJ and watch youtube.
Larry Shreffler wow, you're right, your Dept of Ag has an entomology dept, but they are focused on pest control and the spread of Africanized honey bees... how sad is that? I'm glad TH-cam is here to tie it all in for you Larry!
Excellent video. Good camera work. I know you edited it but it seemed unscripted - what we saw was what was happening in real time and the unexpected/unexplained was included. That's the way life actually occurs. Well done. I think I'll try my next queen from the Weaver Family.
Thanks Brian, yep, edited yet unscripted... thanks! I am currently waiting on a fresh batch of Queens from the Weaver Bee Family.. they were temporarily halted by the storm down there. Thanks for commenting!
Curious whether Pennsylvania percentage of bee nasties (mites, moths, foulbroods, etc.) are lower than in states that do not have as pervasive a government inspection regimen. Very much enjoyed the dialogue between two experts in the field; bet most his inspections don't find the subject as well prepared for inspection.
Hi Gregory, I think that's a great question and you're right, when he comes to my property it's always low stress because I definitely roll out the red carpet and enjoy the entire process. States without meaningful inspection practices would generally report lower incidence of foul brood, chalk brood, varroa and so on because (hard to believe) many beekeepers left to themselves don't like to admit that anything has ever gone wrong with their bees. We have beekeepers even here who flat out refuse to register and are guarded about their individual practices. I have a "friend" with many hives who treats with every possible chemical to keep his bees going and honey yields high and he's been doing it for over 30 years, therefore he's not "open" to anything anyone else may have to say. So, I'm just speculating that areas with more inspections would appear to have more problems on paper as the data is more plentiful. When we all gather for breakfasts with other beekeepers, I think that many under report losses as they just think it makes them look like bad beekeepers. I also think some avoid inspection because they misunderstand what it is and they think the inspector will take comb samples etc for chemical testing, and that just isn't the case. National Reports would show State by State what the conditions and incidence of hive problems are, but you're right, it would be interesting to know if inspections prove to help keepers overall in reducing colony problems.
They focus on commercial or larger operations, but anyone who is registered may be inspected every few years if they are already in the area. I haven't been inspected for a few years.
Can we get an update on if this colony is still active and if so is there any care that you've done different to it in the past 7 years and if it's not active do you know what happened to it? Thanks!
these colonies refresh themselves through the years... new queens, new stock, it's a constant cycle of increase and renewal. I've also replaced most of the hive equipment.
Hi Cowboy, the bees often produce comb between and around the frames and then, of course, use them for brood.. most often, the cells between frames are drone or queen cups. In this video there were drone larva that became exposed when the frames were pulled. the longer the hives are left without opening them, the more infrastructure the bees produce which helps them control ventilation and expand their resources. Keepers that open their hives more frequently and constantly scrape off the burr comb will rarely be disrupting cells becuase the bees haven't produced them.
Frederick Dunn thanks for the info. I opened my hive and had six of those between two frames. I cut them out not knowing what they were and discarded them. I am removing burr comb on the bottom and top of the frames to keep thrm clean. Again thanks for the info. Appreciate the help.
Update: it seems that varoa has become established in the Sydney region and unlike previous breaches it seems that it's now here to stay. NZ is still free of the mite though.
Thanks for your video. Very informative. What is your method for controlling varroa mites? I have run treatment free for 6 years but they rarely make it through the winter.
My method for varroa control is using bee-stock that can hold their own by grooming away and biting the varroa. They are always present, but the bees are holding their own without any treatment. I do continue to attempt to count and assess varroa levels, and as in this video, the numbers are always very very low. This year, I am constructing a bottom board "dead varroa" collection system, so I will have some idea as to how many varroa are being killed off and dispatched. But my bees have survived without treatment for 10 years. I do have Oxalic Acid and a vaporizer on hot standby in the shed just in case I do get a colony that can't hold the line with them. I consider varroa resistant bees to be the only truly sustainable way I wish to continue with bees. If they depend on our chemical intervention, then I believe that's not the best end. I do realize that my method is in the minority, and I continue in fellowship with others who are also working with survivor, varroa resistant stock.
It's so sweet when he lifts off the lid and you see
them all just vibing and minding their business
That is my inspector too. Caught my first swarm last August. Got them through the winter and just added a medium super.
He's a great guy and I always look forward to his visits :)
As a new follower of yours, think it's awesome to see how much knowledge you've taken in, and that you're sharing it with everyone on TH-cam. I think you're now a great source of beekeeping knowledge.
@@scottfortune9016 -Agree, and thank you for pointing it out.
and to this day, the legend remains of the time about 1 cup of bees were abducted and coated with sugar, then shaken, not stirred. if you listen closely, you can still hear their angry buzzing.
They must be incredibly annoyed and wondering WTF just happened.
Gary Cameron I felt so bad for them. I can only imagine what must have gone through their little minds.
Congratulations on an almost spotless inspection! Do you use any natural treatments or anti-varoa practices to keep the mites down?
Health check: Can't leash these puppies.....
J ...lol yeah they are pretty pissed lol, I would be to hehe. 😂
Gotta say I'm super relieved to see that there's another way to look for varroa mites other than taking a cup of bees and killing them in 90% alcohol!
This is a really knowledgeable inspector. His varroa inspection with sugar is smart and human way. I have seen some people putting two cups of bees in some alcohol. Killing bees to inspect for varroa. That is really bad way. When I see a bee struggling in the water, I'm running to rescue it.
This is really good presentation. Thanks.
Hello Viewers! IF you have come here to insult or put down the Dept. of Agriculture or this State Bee Inspector, expect to have your comment deleted. Were it not for this specific inspector, I would not have my own honey bees. All the way back in 2006, I was photographing honey bee conditions and this very well informed individual suggested that I get my own colonies for study right on my own property. I have learned so much and am addicted to the observation of honey bees. I always cooperate with Dept. of Ag regulations and have the utmost respect for their Vets, Inspectors, Technicians, and laboratory diagnosticians. From poultry to honey bees, they are wonderful competent people. This is my channel and I will keep it positive.
do all states require inspections. its cool he got you in to keeping honey bees.
That is a very good question. All I can say for sure is that PA has the requirement. The USDA, like so many of our government entities, does a very good job of making it almost impossible to find specific information governing each State within the U.S. Inspection requirements for the entire U.S. is very difficult to determine beyond import-export regs. Here is a link, I think it's easier to search within your own home State. www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/planthealth/import-information/permits/regulated-organism-and-soil-permits/SA_Bees/CT_Regulated_Organism_Soil_Permits
Then why enable comments? If anything you're doing yourself a disservice by not allowing folks to argue on here. (Obviously generic hate comments can be deleted)
Hi James, I certainly do allow discussions, I was responding to comments that simply dress down the inspector in a personal and insulting way. Those comments are non-productive and I didn't want any more anti-government rants, just trying to save them some time. I certainly allow constructive criticism, that's how we all improve in my opinion. I just don't provide a forum for hate.
I get that he's a good guy and cares about bees, but the best channel for these activities is through beekeeping organisations, not the government. Regulatory monopolies inevitably become a weapon in the hands of the powerful, not an effective curb on the market.
Sure, a sick hive can spread sickness, but unless this guy also inspects every wild hive in the area then a sick hive is going to happen one way or the other.
When I saw the thumbnail, it was full of grey bees. I thought "Ho no, what fresh hell is this...? A fungus? A parasite? An infection??" But it was just SUGAR from their fitness test! XD It's like they got rolled in lollipops after a doctor's visit, I love it! XD
Sorry for the scare :) and they do a great job of grooming the sugar off afterwards and they are satiated :)
It's quite alright. :) I'm glad that they get to enjoy the free food after their check up! :)
PiranhaCupcake me too! I wondered if the hive was being invaded by some type of moth. With all the powdered sugar on them, they look more like a moth than a bee. Love the inspector. So much great information to be learned from him.
Hi George, thanks for commenting :)
How come we are never rolled in sugar for our fitness tests? No fair...lol.....very informative thank you.
Very educational, especially for a newbee like me who's expecting his first nuc's come this May (2022). Thank you Fred for taking the time to video this State Inspector's visit.
Wow I love the powdered sugar method. I watched a commercially owned bee farm employee demonstrate the alcohol method and I was horrified. I want to have bees sooner or later and that demonstration almost made me scrap the idea. I would be too attached to my bee's to kill them because I know how intelligent and wonderful they are. It was so nice to see the more humane method, and has restored my interest. Great video. Thank you.
I'm glad you liked it and thank you for posting!
How often do your hives need to be inspected by an inspector?
Watching these videos helped me tremendously in getting over my fear of bees. I'm allergic but I don't want them sending me into a panic Everytime one comes near me. Thanks
Glad to help
This video makes me want to get into beekeeping just to meet friendly people like that inspector. ;-;
Find a local beekeeping club. Learn good forage plants to grow for bees to forage from. You don't have to keep bees.
you are a product of what the government wants, people who want the governments nose in their business all the time. I love it when people who can't make wax, or honey and have survived for thousands of years without man call bees dumb..
More people need to watch this video . 1 mite and the rest of your hives are cleaner then a whistle. Good job Fred. OUTSTANDING...
D wave of your hand in those suits is so beautiful thank you for all your spreading efforts
What an excellent inspector. He has a great attitude and You can tell he really enjoys what he does. Possesses great attention to detail and respects people and their hives.
You have come a long way, Frederick. Not that there is anything wrong with this video.
This is my first year beekeeping and you are one of my go to instructors. Thanks for all that you do. Also, thumbs up for keeping it positive.
watching out these stripy guys work is healing my suffering soul
Wow 😂😂😂😂 This is the first time I'm seeing the powdered sugar method. I've never seen this before. A very good idea. The bees 🐝🐝🐝🐝look funny when they're full of powdered sugar 😂😂😂 And it's a gentle method. Thanks for this beautiful and insightful video.
I love bees. Even if I'm allergic and always keep a large distance from bees. Bees are wonderful and do great things.
Great Job. Thx and Respect.
🐝❤
"But they did give me a great video". I loved that this came up on my feed. Come down this fall and hang around for some of the cut-outs. When they are the Africanized colonies; things get spicy!
I love that you've been keeping bees for so long and still seem to learn something new during inspections. Its inspiring.
Hi Tim, the learning never stops and I'm always open to what others have to share. People can start keeping bees and observe something new, or discover an improvement that others have missed for decades... I'm always open to what others know and have learned :)
You nailed it! No wonder you appreciate the inspector's visits. He gives you A+ grade. Enjoyed the macrophotography of hives.
I always enjoy visiting with out inspector :) and yes, it's also great to receive a clean slate :)
I know this is seven years old, but it’s very timely for me. I’m literally sitting here, waiting for the state inspector to arrive for my very first inspection. Thx Fred, excellent info as usual! 😊 🐝
That's great and I hope your bees get a clean bill of health.
I really enjoyed the video because there are a lot of benefits to having the inspector check out your hives because there might be something you are unaware of. The knowledge he can give you is priceless.
This is great considering I just had my first hive inspection about a month ago. It was a great experience.
We got to taking about you and your TH-cam channel and such since I live just down in barkeyville PA (so we got the same inspector).
Love your videos, keep up that good work.
Hi Charles! Thank you for this comment and I'm so glad you have the chance to visit with this fantastic Inspector! He's the reason I have bees and I just wish they were paid more! I appreciate that you took the time to share here! Wishing you the best with your bees!
I grew up near Barkeyville, I live on the Outer Banks of North Carolina now and have a garden. I have to pollinate my plants by hand with a Qtip because there are no honey bees near me. I had always taken them for granted because they were everywhere in Venango County.
anon Hmmmm, I think there’s a beekeeper inside you that’s just itching to come out! 😉🐝
wow beautiful mite count for no treatment. let those babies spread those good genes in the environment!!! hello from a second year beekeeper in northern NH
Yup, I made sure to register my hive. All set.
This was so insightful! I am researching keeping bees as its always been a dream and I hate the thought of treating with chemicals and this seems like the best way to search for mites
"Armchair beekeeper" here. I'm retired so I don't have the money, strength or brains to keep hives for myself. :D Thank you for this video. I learned so much, especially watching the inspector "dust" for mites. It's also nice to see such a great relationship between you and the Inspector. Cheers!
Thank you for watching and commenting, yes, I always look forward to inspections!
8:23 "Pierco did not answer any of my questions regarding the composition of 'food grade plastic'."
Blow mold operator here. I think I can help. Food grade plastics are typically polyethylene based plastics such as PETE or HDPE. They also cannot contain impurities hazardous to human health (such as non-food grade machine grease) or inedible dyes. And that's about it; there's not a whole lot to it. Hope that helps clear things up.
I was just scrolling around TH-cam before school and you made an amazing video helping me by giving me more information as I am wanting to start my own Beehive
This Friday I'm posting a video on how to install package bees in your new beehive... for beginners, you may find that also helpful?
This is fascinating! Now I have a thousand questions but first I will read comments and posts.
We got a Flow Hive this year and started bee keeping ourselves, this is a great video !
One of the most interesting and informative bee videos that I've seen, to date! I was just recently introduced to beekeeping, up close, by a friend that maintains about 18 hives, in RI...and I'm happy to report that he does so conscientiously and responsibly, regardless of the apparent lack of regulation in his state. Your written comments on 'survivor' bees, and the inspectors comments on how selective breeding may be counterproductive, are excellent observations and food for thought. Time to have a long discussion with my friend, about these topics, as I learn! Thanks for a great video! :-)
Thank you Norm! We all have a great deal to learn about honey bee management :) the learning never ends. Welcome!
What a lovely bunch of ladies you got there!
Mr. Dunn, thank you for posting this. I am taking a serious look at beekeeping, and am doing my homework with research and education with the plan of starting hives 2 years from now (2020 season.) I found the inspector highly informative, and like you, I'd be asking many questions. Excellent video.
Hi Paul, so glad you enjoyed it and I hope your upcoming bee management experience will be a good one. I do enjoy the State Inspector visits as it's a great opportunity to learn what's going on with other keepers and their bees. I also get to learn about how well my hives are measuring up as compared to others. This Inspector actually got me into keeping bees back in 2007, so I also consider him to be a friend. I used to just photograph bees and various apiary conditions and that's how I originally met him. One day he just said "Fred.. you need to have your own bees".. so I got some.
Knowledgable Inspector,
A job well done,
Those Bees seems to be very Hygienic,mites are kept under control.
"Okay now just go in here"
*BZZZZZTTTTTTTTTTT*
"yeah nah, doesn't look like there's any mites that's good"
*more angry BZZZTTs from sugar-covered bees who don't like being shaken*
I like my bees shaken not stirred
Yeah Imagine if a giant alien dumped a bunch of humans in a swimming pool sized container, then poured candy all over them and started shaking the container profusely.
Even Bees 🐝 hate the Government 😉
Fascinating stuff and very pleasing to watch. I love that you are using sugar as a humane way to test them!
Thank you!
I know it's an old video, but I really enjoyed watching it again. :D
Glad you enjoyed it!
I never knew there were bee inspectors! That's actually pretty cool, almost like straight out of a movie. 😮
Beautiful healthy bees, BEAUTIFUL!
Patricia Feifel Thank you Patricia :)
BeeWeaver queens/bees rock and roll. No games.
Not sure why the algorithm wants me to watch bee videos but until it stops recommending them I’ll keep doing it.
Welcome to my channel :)
That sugar shake is such a cool idea. Not being a beekeeper (YET) I always assumed that if you had any kind of infestation you'd only find out about it through die off. Covering the girls in sugar and doing a quick shake check to make sure everyone's fit before treating with something potentially harmful is genius.
reminds me of that scene in super troopers with the powdered sugar
We're fortunate here in Pennsylvania to have the inspections and registrations.
The inspectors are well educated and have many helpful ideas for all of us.
Don't fear our inspectors but welcome them and their help.
Nice video showing our friendly inspectors and what they do.
You're right Bee Bob... I always enjoy being inspected and learning about what other keepers are dealing with, plus if something is wrong with my bees, I certainly want to know about it. Plus, we won't know if something is "going around" if we're not listed... very important for regional mapping of good and bad bee years/seasons.
I am glad you do not kill the jumping spiders. They are cute. I leave them in mine too.
they are fascinating
The number of bees they eat is very small proportionately, it's not like an Orb Weaver with dozens of bees caught every so often.
I love them! 💕
Most interesting lots of helpful chatter. Down here in Aus we are so lucky to be free of varroa up till now. AFB is a real and present problem but we have a fairly prosperous industry here in Queensland. Thanks for sharing
It is very unfortunate how many diseases and parasites are now making their way around the world. I hope we can collectively learn and arrive at meaningful solutions.
Perhaps a stoopid question, but I really do want to know. At 6:38 when the powdered sugar bee's are returned to the colony, will their peers help them get that sugar off? If so, do they add it to the honey stores in the hive, or will it be thrown out?
Yes the hive mates will clean them up.
Thank you, very interesting and enlightening, I've watched so many bee videos in the past few months, this one intermittently ( due to the magnification and fasting on this first day of Ramadan) really made me feel that I was one of those bees in the hive, it's the closest moment I've ever had to bee ing like a bee, in the resonating HZ frequency, I will need to keep coming back here to recapture the moment inshAllah, God willing into His Most perfect Design.
You are very welcome here :) thanks!
I never knew that to keep bees, I'd need to Register with the state and get Official Inspections! Very informative! I still don't think I'd ever be able to keep bees myself tho, bc i live in the city 😅😂
What is the diameter of the through holes in the top of the plastic frame?
It's crazy that there are people who haven't seen bees before. Here in Australia you could hardly go a day(in spring or summer) without seeing multiple bees whenever you went into a garden or park.
I've always wanted to keep bees but being allergic to the point of possible anaphylaxis means it's a no go but it's such a rewarding hobby/job. 💜
I personally would not risk it.
@@FrederickDunn I'm not but I am glad enough to watch your time with them instead so thank you for your videos. 🙂
Great video I am Canadian thank you for the tip on how to look for mites. Very interesting please post more I enjoyed it. Sad ppl bash you for this
Thank you so much, Ray, and no problem, there are lots of unhappy people out there :) I was going to make a mite-check video tutorial this Autumn, but the winter weather arrived early. Maybe in the spring, I'll be doing some more tutorials regarding bees.
@@FrederickDunnPlease do that I will look forward to watching them I am new next year is my first year and I have 2 boxes now complete so looking forward to spring, The more I can learn the better for me thanks for sharing and look forward to more from you cheers Merry Christmas my friend
I'll be doing a couple of honeybee seminars during December and January, covering things learned this past year and how to prepare for spring etc... thanks!
@@FrederickDunn The stuff I got th-cam.com/video/43NU5Djchzk/w-d-xo.html
You have a very nice hive from what I can see , I am in PA and hoping ... really hoping to start this coming spring , Awesome 👍🏽
Thanks Teddy, I hope you have a great success with your bees.
Thanks , my 12 year old daughter gave me my TH-cam name 😃
Great vid can't wait to get started in Ohio
This video was very informative. Thank you. very much appreciated.
Glad it was helpful!
Ghost Bees! Was that a queen kind of by herself at the top of the frame at 12:45? Can't see the head or much thorax, but the abdomen seemed like the right elongated shape.
HI Clint! Didn't look like the queen to me... should have slowed the camera work down more.
Population wise you have some good looking hives my friend!
+GoofyLongBoarder455 Thank you! They are still doing GREAT.. .had another inspection a month ago and all is well!
i just learn so much from your channel.
It seems to be a lot of work farming bees.
I'm so glad, thanks Sparky and yes, to keep even a few hives can be busy and you need to take time for them or it can go wrong in a very short amount of time :)
That's a brilliant tip with the powdered sugar. I've never seen that before!
I'm glad you liked that Steve! It's been a standard method here for many years.
@@FrederickDunn Hi. I'm in Québec. I "adopted" my 1st colony last year (and inadvertently grew a second one through a noobie blunder). We are also obliged by law to register our bees, PLUS were are legally required to treat with various products (Québec is EXTREMELY bureaucratic). Our inspectors aren't know to be as amicable as the one in your video. Like Steve Parker, I have never seen the powdered sugar method and they never mentioned it in my Intro class to beekeeping. I think it's GREAT! I'm going to try it this summer.
@@MarekArawn Wait, you are "required to treat"? How does that work? If the bees are not demonstrating disease and are coping on their own, you're saying they mandate hive treatment as a preventive method? I don't understand that thinking at all. What are you treating for? That sounds like a terrible practice, I personally would much rather work with survivor stock that sustains themselves without treatment. In my opinion, that's the only sustainable path going forward.
@@FrederickDunn Sorry. I had to double-check that. I got that wrong in the worst way. I misinterpreted what was "strongly suggested" in various groups as being compulsory. Also, the supplier where I get my beekeeping supplies kinda implied it was the law.... oy.
The whole thing can "bee" a little confusing : We take French bureaucracy and 'enhance' it by about 1 million.... But they've simplified it!
1) Animal Health Protection Act, chapter P-42, r. 5, Regulation respecting the registration of beekeepers (legisquebec.gouv.qc.ca/en/ShowDoc/cr/P-42,%20r.%205/);
2) The Bees Act (legisquebec.gouv.qc.ca/en/ShowDoc/cs/A-1) which covered bee health (it was apparently repealed in 2000, but is still on the books?);
And 3) The Ministry of "Agriculture, Fisheries and Food" (www.mapaq.gouv.qc.ca/fr/Productions/santeanimale/obligations/abeilles/Pages/Enregistrementproprietairesabeilles.aspx) [NOT available in English. Désolé...)
Essentially:
* We are required to register our bees as soon as we get them or we risk a fine that can range between $250 $ to $2450 (however, under the Bees Act, if you poisoned bees, the fine was a whopping "$10 to $100 for the first offence, and to a fine of $20 to $200 for any subsequent offence"). Registration must be renewed annually.
* You must maintain a registry (A) to indicate every time you receive bees or sell them
* You must maintain a registry (B) to indicate when and where you have relocated bees (hives).
Registries A and B must be kept for 5 years
And, of course, you have to identify your hives with Name, address and phone number.
Sorry for the confusion. :)
what was it that you were talking about trying around 2:34? I couldn't really make out what you two were discussing
He broke open a swarm/queen cell that was full of royal jelly... then we discussed how people often eat it. I don't! :)
Wow! I was having trouble making that out. It sounds like a great hobby and have been watching a few videos here from you and youtubers alike. I am thinking about starting a small box in my backyard so thanks for the interesting videos and detailed commentary!
Hi, I’ve got a question. How does a beekeeper know how much honey can be harvested from a hive while leaving enough for the bees to survive the winter months?
leaving 50-100 lbs of honey on a hive for winter is generally enough, the surplus beyond that can be safely harvested.
That was amazing to find only 1 mite in 2 sugar shakes.
A good tip is to put a little water on top of a 5 gal bucket lid and shake over that. The sugar dissolves and the mites show up better.
Thank you for that comment... I'm just not in the position to direct the PA State Bee Inspector in how to do the mite shake outs... but sounds good to me...
I've been watching bee videos for a while, trying to talk myself into starting.
Go for it! But I’ll warn you, it’s addicting! 😊🐝
Holy shit im terrified of these things and this dude is scooping them up like ice cream and dumping them into jars
Hello,
Your videos are very helpful Our State Bee Inspector is the legendary Ken Warchol. Ken is absolutely superb!! Did I hear correctly that you do no treat your hies with any mite treatment?
At the time of this inspection, yes, I had been treatment free...
Not all inspecters are horrible 9/10 you only hate inspecters if you have something to hide loving the video fred
Wow Frederick, was this one of your first hives and videos? I started watching it and did not think if was you until I saw your name. So I has to be very early for you--like where I am right now. that hive is rocking! Even when you began it all looks great.
Thank you for interesting educational video. Best greetings from beekeepers in Kiev, Ukraine. :)
Thank you Victor.. I'm glad you enjoyed it. I hope you are safe there....
Thanks. I hope too. Good luck to you too! :)
spiders, big NOPE.... "They eat your bees... once in a while they'll grab one and say hmmm DINNER!" 7:15
Great closing by the inspector too
I'm impressed that you watched to the very end David... shows that you're truly interested. Thank you for commenting.
Frederick Dunn
Thanks for making the video!
Great video. Very informational and it was nice to see what an inspection looks like.
+Daniel Patterson Thank you! I'm so glad you found it to be beneficial... inspection is an opportunity to catch up and learn about what others are experiencing in your area. Just had another inspection two months ago, all continues to be great. Thanks for posting!
Nice video, in our country we have half of the size compare to those bees
Nice Video im from pa too. I seen the sugar shake done over water the mites show up better just saying. If i would see that many queen cells on a frame I would do a split with them. I winter over 2 5 frame nucs with one 5 frame super of honey on them did good. thanks for sharing.
thanks Gary
That was interesting. None of the other videos I've watched talked about hive inspection, thanks.
Glad it was helpful!
greetings from Lancaster PA! 😁 what a genuinely entertaining and educational video! thanks for sharing with us!! ❤️ if I may offer some constructive feedback, though... I wish you didn't keep cutting the footage in the middle of your discussions with the state inspector. I genuinely wanted to learn more about what he was saying and what you were talking about with him; as a viewer, I wish you didn't cut these discussions out 😞 but i still loved the video, how kind you are to your bees, and your reverence for the state agricultural inspectors.
I had to make those cuts so that the inspector didn't divulge personal information. He's a private fellow and also named some Dept. of Ag employees that preferred not to be mentioned. I included as much as I could. Just trying to keep him out of trouble :)
@@FrederickDunn that makes a lot of sense; thank you for the context! that's completely understandable. 👍🙂
Great method for mite detection. I often wondered about using diatomaceous but i would think it is too harsh to rid of any problems of mites.
DE would also kill the bees.
Learning so much! Thank you! The bees are like having a million tiny pet babies haha!
So glad this inspector using the icing sugar method, instead of other methods that take the lives of the bees while they inspect for mites.
I'm from the Government and you owe us for this.
So the "Government" has lost my contact information?
I've bee watching a ton of videos, thinking about getting a couple of hives for my retirement years, this is the first time I've heard about Ag Dept inspection. I live in PA.
HI Donald, in PA, as with most States, all bee hives fall under the Dept. of Agriculture and are considered live-stock. It is required that every beekeeper register their bees with the Dept of Ag and receive a site certificate. You may never be inspected, but it's important to do for many reasons, one of them being that you will get information regarding honey bee health issues in your area, or ag conditions which may affect your colonies. There are a lot of people who keep bees, even 20 hives plus, who refuse to register, think that "the Man" will get into their business. Truth is that it's more of a benefit than a burden. We all want healthy bees and I personally want to know what's going around in my neck of the woods. :) There are unregistered colonies that we refer to as "beekeeper BOMBS" because they often have serious conditions such as foul brood, particularly AFB, without inspection/detection, those uninspected/unregistered keepers can kill off hundreds of thousands of bees within a 3-mile radius and it spreads out from there...
The powder sugar method is a amazing idea i will tell my friend who tests with alcohol its a shame :(
Hello, I can see some bees flying in the hive with thicker yellow back legs, what are those type? Really interesting channel you have thank you for sharing 😎
They have pollen on their legs...
Of course duh! Thanks for answering 😎
Frederick Dunn, I am wondering how you manage to achieve such a 'clean' hive -ie. no varroa, disease etc. I'm just learning about bee keeping now, and we all are taught to use strips to control the varroa. Maybe they are stronger here (in NZ). I'm just wondering how you look after your bees so well, I guess I will learn more in other videos..
This was a remarkable inspection and I was only using survivor line hygienic bees at the time. They were wonderful about chewing mites off and grooming them away. I actually need to return to keeping only this line of bees as my apiary has made a varroa turn for the worse lately. I also am not satisfied that the inspector took enough time with the sugar shake method. I've learned since that it's far more time consuming than his demonstration.
It was interesting to see how a sugar-shake is done, really quite simpel
I'm glad you enjoyed that Larry... I, unlike many, always enjoy being inspected by the Dept. of Ag... aside from being a great video opportunity, I learn from the inspectors. It is all quite simple actually, made complex by many meddling keepers who always seem to want to do "something" to their bees :)
Yes it would be nice to have an inspector come to my hives.
Here in Southern Nevada there are no bee clubs or state bee inspectors. I am just on my own I read Bee Culture and ABJ and watch youtube.
Larry Shreffler wow, you're right, your Dept of Ag has an entomology dept, but they are focused on pest control and the spread of Africanized honey bees... how sad is that? I'm glad TH-cam is here to tie it all in for you Larry!
I sure enjoy watching the bees and I don’t like them in that jar but it must be done
The ending comments were interesting. I’ve not heard that before.
Excellent video. Good camera work.
I know you edited it but it seemed unscripted - what we saw was what was happening in real time and the unexpected/unexplained was included. That's the way life actually occurs.
Well done.
I think I'll try my next queen from the Weaver Family.
Thanks Brian, yep, edited yet unscripted... thanks! I am currently waiting on a fresh batch of Queens from the Weaver Bee Family.. they were temporarily halted by the storm down there. Thanks for commenting!
Curious whether Pennsylvania percentage of bee nasties (mites, moths, foulbroods, etc.) are lower than in states that do not have as pervasive a government inspection regimen. Very much enjoyed the dialogue between two experts in the field; bet most his inspections don't find the subject as well prepared for inspection.
Hi Gregory, I think that's a great question and you're right, when he comes to my property it's always low stress because I definitely roll out the red carpet and enjoy the entire process. States without meaningful inspection practices would generally report lower incidence of foul brood, chalk brood, varroa and so on because (hard to believe) many beekeepers left to themselves don't like to admit that anything has ever gone wrong with their bees. We have beekeepers even here who flat out refuse to register and are guarded about their individual practices. I have a "friend" with many hives who treats with every possible chemical to keep his bees going and honey yields high and he's been doing it for over 30 years, therefore he's not "open" to anything anyone else may have to say. So, I'm just speculating that areas with more inspections would appear to have more problems on paper as the data is more plentiful. When we all gather for breakfasts with other beekeepers, I think that many under report losses as they just think it makes them look like bad beekeepers. I also think some avoid inspection because they misunderstand what it is and they think the inspector will take comb samples etc for chemical testing, and that just isn't the case. National Reports would show State by State what the conditions and incidence of hive problems are, but you're right, it would be interesting to know if inspections prove to help keepers overall in reducing colony problems.
Great video !
Thank you
Are you being inspected because you're a commercial operation, or does anyone with a backyard hive have to have it inspected?
They focus on commercial or larger operations, but anyone who is registered may be inspected every few years if they are already in the area. I haven't been inspected for a few years.
Very cool. Thanks for uploading. It’s very educational.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Can we get an update on if this colony is still active and if so is there any care that you've done different to it in the past 7 years and if it's not active do you know what happened to it? Thanks!
these colonies refresh themselves through the years... new queens, new stock, it's a constant cycle of increase and renewal. I've also replaced most of the hive equipment.
@@FrederickDunn Thanks!
Sprinkling sugar from a jar full of bees would be an excellent party trick. Good to know there is an alternative to an alcohol wash.
Not sure if you can answer this but I'll ask. What were those larva in between the frames the where opened up when you where doing the inspection?
Hi Cowboy, the bees often produce comb between and around the frames and then, of course, use them for brood.. most often, the cells between frames are drone or queen cups. In this video there were drone larva that became exposed when the frames were pulled. the longer the hives are left without opening them, the more infrastructure the bees produce which helps them control ventilation and expand their resources. Keepers that open their hives more frequently and constantly scrape off the burr comb will rarely be disrupting cells becuase the bees haven't produced them.
Frederick Dunn thanks for the info. I opened my hive and had six of those between two frames. I cut them out not knowing what they were and discarded them. I am removing burr comb on the bottom and top of the frames to keep thrm clean. Again thanks for the info. Appreciate the help.
you're welcome Cowboy!
Can someone explain why the bee at 6:44 had orange globs attached to it?
Pollen...
Are inspections to help with the spread of varoa? We're lucky here in Australia and NZ, still no mites in the country.
Update: it seems that varoa has become established in the Sydney region and unlike previous breaches it seems that it's now here to stay. NZ is still free of the mite though.
Thanks for your video. Very informative. What is your method for controlling varroa mites? I have run treatment free for 6 years but they rarely make it through the winter.
My method for varroa control is using bee-stock that can hold their own by grooming away and biting the varroa. They are always present, but the bees are holding their own without any treatment. I do continue to attempt to count and assess varroa levels, and as in this video, the numbers are always very very low. This year, I am constructing a bottom board "dead varroa" collection system, so I will have some idea as to how many varroa are being killed off and dispatched. But my bees have survived without treatment for 10 years. I do have Oxalic Acid and a vaporizer on hot standby in the shed just in case I do get a colony that can't hold the line with them. I consider varroa resistant bees to be the only truly sustainable way I wish to continue with bees. If they depend on our chemical intervention, then I believe that's not the best end. I do realize that my method is in the minority, and I continue in fellowship with others who are also working with survivor, varroa resistant stock.