Welcome, Guest

Author Topic: What we really know about varroa tolerant bees  (Read 17959 times)

Offline NWIN Beekeeper

  • Professional Beekeeper
  • House Bee
  • **
  • Posts: 338
  • Gender: Male
Re: What we really know about varroa tolerant bees
« Reply #60 on: February 28, 2007, 05:35:28 pm »
Great first you medicate bees and now you want to medicate people?

Whatch thinking?
There is nothing new under the sun. Only your perspective changes to see it anew.

Offline newbee101

  • House Bee
  • **
  • Posts: 290
    • http://www.acmepainting.com
Re: What we really know about varroa tolerant bees
« Reply #61 on: February 28, 2007, 06:34:44 pm »
I am still waiting for him to answer this post.    :jail:
Quote
Hi Finsky, How are you today?
Questions for you...
Did you lose any hives last winter or this winter?
Do you use solid bottom boards or screened bottom boards?
Do you make splits from survivor colonies or do you buy packages?
How many hives do you have?
Thank You...that is all.....for now....
"To bee or not to bee"

Offline Understudy

  • Galactic Bee
  • ******
  • Posts: 4641
  • Gender: Male
    • http://www.understudy.net
Re: What we really know about varroa tolerant bees
« Reply #62 on: February 28, 2007, 06:53:24 pm »
Love the new avatar Finsky.

Sincerely,
Brendhan
The status is not quo. The world is a mess and I just need to rule it. Dr. Horrible

Offline Zoot

  • House Bee
  • **
  • Posts: 466
Re: What we really know about varroa tolerant bees
« Reply #63 on: February 28, 2007, 11:29:17 pm »
NWIN,

It's possible that Finsky has simply bought into that fundamental American philosophy: I call it the 3 M's (medicate, medicate, medicate); Got the flu? Medicate. Kid acting a bit energetically in school? Medicate. Bees have mites? Medicate (excluding portions of present company of course). My personal favorite: Someone sends an envelope with some anthrax dust to Washington? Everyone (millions) within a thousand miles medicate.

Finsky - the new avatar's great. You're a scrapper that's for sure.

Offline Finsky

  • Super Bee
  • *****
  • Posts: 2791
  • Gender: Male
Re: What we really know about varroa tolerant bees
« Reply #64 on: March 01, 2007, 12:16:20 am »
.
Avaratar is great :-D I really like it.

Offline Zoot

  • House Bee
  • **
  • Posts: 466
Re: What we really know about varroa tolerant bees
« Reply #65 on: March 01, 2007, 12:55:19 am »
Oh dear. I hope this isn't the "new" Finsky; banal one-liners devoid of wit. I meant no disrespect with my last...was merely being my usual cynical self. Your posts are actually quite famous in our house, valued for their solid advice as well as their spirit. You are obviously a master at what you do.

Offline Finsky

  • Super Bee
  • *****
  • Posts: 2791
  • Gender: Male
Re: What we really know about varroa tolerant bees
« Reply #66 on: March 01, 2007, 02:23:43 am »
I am still waiting for him to answer this post.    :jail:
Quote
Hi Finsky, How are you today?
Questions for you...
Did you lose any hives last winter or this winter?
Do you use solid bottom boards or screened bottom boards?
Do you make splits from survivor colonies or do you buy packages?
How many hives do you have?
Thank You...that is all.....for now....


Our winter is turning to spring. Cleansing flight will happen during 2 weeks. Temperature is now over freezing point after long frost period.

I took covers off and all hives are alive. I have 29 hives and 23 are strong in 2 boxes. 6 are in one boxe but occupy allmost whole box.

One hive has bad nosema and I am going to kill it. I have too many hives.

Last winter I had 24 hives and all were alive in spring. Winterings is problem at all. Nosema makes some harm often.

I have every year 20% extra hives and I am not sad if som hive will perish. Nosema spoils often queen or two.

I have only solid bottoms. After cleansing flight I put thermocabel on bottoms for spring build up.3 winters ago I tried screened bottom in 6 hves. One died lack of food and 2 was very near. I stopped that system. Hives consumed over 50% too much food.

Last summer 2-box wintered hives got 80 pound/hive  early yield in June. 1-box wintered have not capacity to forage surpluss untill in July.  That is why I keep strong hives and I want early build up. Dandelion honey is very tasty and it is valuble when I mix it with canola honey.

I try to select my hives non swarmy, calm and pollen gathering. It needs work every summer. Nothing comes for free.

***********
Last summer I met very few mites, perhaps 10-20 in drone cells but in oxalic handling all hive dropped hundreds of mites on bottom. But not thousands.

So it goes with rountine. Nice time with you guys. Use your own brains and don't trust that nature makes work for you.

Mite is really my friend. It killed all lazy beekeepers' hives here and wild beehives. It is only good  bee blood here now



Soon loading my artillery  again


.

Offline beemaster

  • Site Founder
  • Administrator
  • Galactic Bee
  • *******
  • Posts: 6457
  • Gender: Male
  • It is my pleasure to bring the forums to you.
    • http://www.beemaster.com
Re: What we really know about varroa tolerant bees
« Reply #67 on: March 01, 2007, 06:54:16 am »
It's good Finsky has a fan club - he has worn me a bit thin lately, again - but that's Finsky, he is from a combative society of where people strongly debate even the simplest things - as in "was your coffee too strong?". This view of his homeland from Finsky Himself, they love the "tooth and nails" points of argument - thought you'd like a history lesson on Finland.

I do find his last line of how he LIKES MITES because they have killed off all bad beekeepers, a bit sick.

That doesn't sit to well with the millions of lost colonies here who aren't fortunate enough to exodus Finland. I guess the new standard must be who can live long enough to see Varroa or CCD anything else come our way fade into obscurity.

Man is here for a blink of time, the efforts we make are often fruitless, not for not trying, but often because those who say there is no problem lose the funding which might have cured a problem.

Be careful Finsky, you might be moving that car and colony pictured there back in Varroa Country and I can here them now - "THERE GOES THE NEIGHBORHOOD!"
NJBeemaster my YOUTUBE Video Collection

Please enjoy the forum, and if it has helped you in any way, we hope that a small donation can be made to support our FULLY member supported forum. You will never see advertisements here, and that is because of the generous members who have made our forum possible. We are in our second decade as a beekeeping forum and all thanks to member support. At the top right of every page is a donations link. Please help if you can.

Offline Understudy

  • Galactic Bee
  • ******
  • Posts: 4641
  • Gender: Male
    • http://www.understudy.net
Re: What we really know about varroa tolerant bees
« Reply #68 on: March 01, 2007, 07:31:12 am »
It's good Finsky has a fan club - he has worn me a bit thin lately, again - but that's Finsky, he is from a combative society of where people strongly debate even the simplest things - as in "was your coffee too strong?". This view of his homeland from Finsky Himself, they love the "tooth and nails" points of argument - thought you'd like a history lesson on Finland.

Even though I am not big fan of chemicals, I am big fan of Finsky. It is nice to see someone who has passion about something. Even though I may disagree with some of his methods I respect his view on them. And they have worked very well for him. He makes quite a bit of money with his bees.

Also the best course I had in college was debate. I firmly believe that it should be a required course but that is a seperate discussion.

What I think is Finsky needs to move from Finland to south Florida that way he can have fun with small hive beetles.  8-)

There is a large Finish community in Lake Worth and yes they all love debate and rhetoric discussions. They don't have thin skins. They aren't politcally correct. They aren't concerned with your feelings because they have thick skins when it comes to disscussions and don't understand why others don't have thick skins. I find it very refreshing.

When it comes to varroa resistant strains of bees, I do not have enough knowledge to make an informed comment. I have been reading the links and articles posted but I am still trying to finish reading the CCD articles and the research on that because I have to be ready for my beekeepers meeting.

Jerrymac pointed something out that Finsky backs up what he says with publications and research. I also wish more people did that. I have a discussion on Apitherapy at my next beekeeper meeting also. The gentleman doing the presentation is a big believer in it. But the medical value of bee stings, propolis , and royal jelly have very little to none of real scientific research. However it has people who believe in it very passionatly. Accupuncture has been around for 2000 years but the medical studies have been mixed on it. However tell that to the nearly 1 billion people who live in China.


Maybe I can send some SHB back with the Finish guests who stay part of the year in Lake Worth.  :evil:

Sincerely,
Brendhan
The status is not quo. The world is a mess and I just need to rule it. Dr. Horrible

Offline Finsky

  • Super Bee
  • *****
  • Posts: 2791
  • Gender: Male
Re: What we really know about varroa tolerant bees
« Reply #69 on: March 01, 2007, 07:38:41 am »

Be careful Finsky,

I go like old horse my path after my 45 beekeeping years and after my 25 mite years - At last I really need advices   :-P

The secret is to use "best practice which works".  To trye new methods is the most expencive way to go.
To use "own new methods" means that you are late 20 years after others.  Benschmarking is my hit.



Offline Finsky

  • Super Bee
  • *****
  • Posts: 2791
  • Gender: Male
Re: What we really know about varroa tolerant bees
« Reply #70 on: March 01, 2007, 07:46:33 am »

Also the best course I had in college was debate.

Yes, I am bad looser and I want to keep the last word.
And more, much more than this, I did it my way.

Regrets? I've had a few,
But then again, too few to mention.
I did what I had to do
And saw it through without exemption.

I planned each charted course -
Each careful step along the byway,
And more, much more than this,
I did it my way.


.

Offline Zoot

  • House Bee
  • **
  • Posts: 466
Re: What we really know about varroa tolerant bees
« Reply #71 on: March 01, 2007, 10:06:06 am »
Finsky,

Priceless. Could you maybe send some sort of media attachment of you singing that one? I would treasure it along with my Yogi Yorgenson Christmas recordings.

Understudy,
Your observations of the resident Finn is right on. There is a large Finnish community in Baltimore and my partner has 4 Finnish uncles married into her mother's (Swedish) family. One debates/argues with them at one's own risk; they are ruthlessly straightforward...not for the overly sensitive or those with frail egos. They also possess a keen, dry wit. As you noted, it's very refreshing.

With all due respect, I think John was a bit off the mark (yes, the mite reamrk was a bit weird) - I find my own countrymen to be by far the most combative in debate, with a tendancy to stray into quagmires of minutiae and irrelevancy and a wearying obsession with "sensitivity". Just look at our national preoccupation with TAKING OFFENSE and the need to extort grovelling apologies from the evil perpetrators. It's embarrassing.

Finsky,
Back to business - thanks for finally answering Newbee's questions. Informative as always.

Offline Jerrymac

  • Galactic Bee
  • ******
  • Posts: 6047
  • Gender: Male
Re: What we really know about varroa tolerant bees
« Reply #72 on: March 01, 2007, 10:11:41 am »
Priceless. Could you maybe send some sort of media attachment of you singing that one? I would treasure it along with my Yogi Yorgenson Christmas recordings.

Zoot,
You do know that is a song first sung ( I think)by Frank Sanatra, and then Elvis did a remake.
:rainbowflower:  Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.   :rainbowflower:

 :jerry:

My pictures.Type in password;  youview
     http://photobucket.com/albums/v225/Jerry-mac/

Offline Finsky

  • Super Bee
  • *****
  • Posts: 2791
  • Gender: Male
Re: What we really know about varroa tolerant bees
« Reply #73 on: March 01, 2007, 10:17:33 am »
Finsky,

Just look at our national preoccupation with TAKING OFFENSE and the need to extort grovelling apologies from the evil perpetrators.

Let's test-load your own national humour  8-)  I have nothing to do with that. I am only a messenger. Don't shoot
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AMBDFv66oLE&mode=related&search=

.

Offline Zoot

  • House Bee
  • **
  • Posts: 466
Re: What we really know about varroa tolerant bees
« Reply #74 on: March 01, 2007, 10:20:20 am »
Jerrymac,

You're correct, I had forgotten about Sinatra. Which is odd because it's sort of his hallmark song. Never heard Elvis sing it. Was it in his.."late" period?

Offline beemaster

  • Site Founder
  • Administrator
  • Galactic Bee
  • *******
  • Posts: 6457
  • Gender: Male
  • It is my pleasure to bring the forums to you.
    • http://www.beemaster.com
Re: What we really know about varroa tolerant bees
« Reply #75 on: March 01, 2007, 05:13:34 pm »
Back to Finsky, cause it seems most people don't understand one vital point. I've gone to bat against dozens of complaints of him as FINSKY or FINMAN for YEARS now - usually people telling him to call his methods, my response has always been in his favor. As it is now.

That doesn't mean when I get 5 PMs in 2 days complaining about something he has said that it SHOULD NOT BE ADDRESSED! Not meaning to play BOSS around here but let's face the fact, the buck stops here and a public warning to chill a bit DOESN'T hurt anyone, maybe it even does some good.

I like Finsky's spirit and gum shun and he handles and criticism quite well. His methods work well for him and I doubt most of us could do as well as he claims with such a short season. But what gets me is that I mentioned more than Finsky in my above post, and strangely no one comes to anyone else defense. I'm often puzzled by things like that.

For the record - just fight nice or agree to disagree: hard to beat either. But I'll take credit for Finsky's new Avatar which I gave to him after he chose to change usernames last evening, I quickly changed it back and closed the door for a future name change. I also (temporarily) reduced his post count by 1000 posts - no posts were removed, only the "Number" in the posting log has been modified. After Finsky chose to be a 54 year old woman with the name Copy&paste, I felt it fitting to respond.

Future games of the sort WON'T result in child like ban-tor on either of our parts. I know Finsky has a following, there are people who enjoy him and some that strongly do not. Either way he is unique and offers a prospective that many of us can only image.

I don't want to make this post about Finsky, it has been for the last few replies (minus the Sinatra thing) and if you wish to get back on topic fine - if not, it is time to lock it up. Six pages on this may just be its threshold.

Last thought: don't anyone tell me how tough I am on Finsky, I lost an entire moderator staff 2 years ago, all of which left BECAUSE I would not ban him - Keep in mind, as a member, you rarely know all of the facts. This job isn't always a piece of cake.
NJBeemaster my YOUTUBE Video Collection

Please enjoy the forum, and if it has helped you in any way, we hope that a small donation can be made to support our FULLY member supported forum. You will never see advertisements here, and that is because of the generous members who have made our forum possible. We are in our second decade as a beekeeping forum and all thanks to member support. At the top right of every page is a donations link. Please help if you can.

Offline newbee101

  • House Bee
  • **
  • Posts: 290
    • http://www.acmepainting.com
Re: What we really know about varroa tolerant bees
« Reply #76 on: March 01, 2007, 07:05:03 pm »
Thanks for answering my questions Finster!  
A couple more , if you dont mind?
Do you requeen every year?
Do you buy Queens or do you make your own?
How many kilos of honey do you produce from 23 hives in Finland?

Kiittää Te Ajometsästyksen johtaja Kilpailu Vartija  :-*
"To bee or not to bee"

Offline Cindi

  • Galactic Bee
  • ******
  • Posts: 9825
  • Gender: Female
Re: What we really know about varroa tolerant bees
« Reply #77 on: March 02, 2007, 12:14:48 am »
John, I can bet that no one does fully understand what must be done to make this forum run smoothly.  How could we.  I take my hat off to you for the hard work that I can only imagine that you do as the "governor" of this forum.  It must be one heck of a job.  Keep up good work, everything is done for the best of the forum.  Best of the best day.  Cindi
There are strange things done in the midnight sun by the men who moil for gold.  The Arctic trails have their secret tales that would make your blood run cold.  The Northern Lights have seen queer sights, but the queerest they ever did see, what the night on the marge of Lake Lebarge, I cremated Sam McGee.  Robert Service

Offline Finsky

  • Super Bee
  • *****
  • Posts: 2791
  • Gender: Male
Re: What we really know about varroa tolerant bees
« Reply #78 on: March 02, 2007, 01:01:56 am »
.
I am allready banned here.  I feel good for that.

One thing what you cannot help is that this forum, like others, are deep sources of disinformation. Internet is full of great information "cut and paste" - style. (John, it is well said how to use existing information.)  It takes awfully much time to get it. Most of information comes from US beekeeping universities.  You use them at all. You taxes go for nothing.

But when I paste information here, it is quickly moved to 50 years old believes which live among beekeeprs all over the world. They are beekeeping legends. If I give 5 tested varroa concept, those are nothing, one should have his/her own reciept which he heard from his friend. Nothing is enough and if you have one hive, you should pour all trick on that poor hive. More and more advices come. 

The most usual beekeeping method is "shake".  :lol:  What ever you do, shake bees first.   Second "put sticks into hive" (top bar).

In the year 1977 USA went through all proteins what have given to bees and tested what is best pollen substituent.  it was 30 years ago.
It has been basic knowledge which world has used. But it does not help. It is so called " cut and paste" -information.  Here we can read concepts which have nothing to do with existing information.  It tells that ordinary people does not know what means "protein" or "chemical".

So we have set the level of hobby beekeeping.

 "Worker queen and shaking" - even if there are no worker queen. It is imagination.
"Human is too far from nature"  - 2000 years ago there was that organized thinking

" Chemicals are dangerours" - look at your bathrooms

" I am new beeper. I want to make my own varroa resistant beehive. How shall I do it"  - And then it begins.... :-D

What a mesh! I cannot say sorry. What a mesh!

By the way, my posts are going down like stocks nowadays ....  I hope that they will not go to minus. :roll:



Offline Cindi

  • Galactic Bee
  • ******
  • Posts: 9825
  • Gender: Female
Re: What we really know about varroa tolerant bees
« Reply #79 on: March 02, 2007, 09:53:25 am »
Finsky
The most usual beekeeping method is "shake".    What ever you do, shake bees first.   Second "put sticks into hive" (top bar).

You must clarify what you are saying.  I do not understand.  Best of days.  Cindi
There are strange things done in the midnight sun by the men who moil for gold.  The Arctic trails have their secret tales that would make your blood run cold.  The Northern Lights have seen queer sights, but the queerest they ever did see, what the night on the marge of Lake Lebarge, I cremated Sam McGee.  Robert Service