Keeping Bees without Chemicals

I stopped treating my bees in 2002. No Apistan, Coumophos, Apiguard, Amitraz, formic acid, or Sucrocide. No Fumagilin-B, Terramycin, or Tylan. No open or screened bottom boards. No grease patties or Mite-A-Thol. No IPM. No voodoo, secret rituals, or chants.

In 2002, I had 12 colonies. In 2010 I have 12 colonies. I haven’t always had 12 colonies. In 2003 I had 0. They all died of American foulbrood.

Though the coming year, I am going to reveal my amazing colony management secrets to my reader. That’s you Bob. Thanks.

Trouble

My February issue of Bee Culture arrived today. I showed my wife a picture of the Bee Girls (I haven't read the article yet, so I'm not sure what they do, but I had met one of them at the August EAS convention. "I pointed her out to Nancy, "I had lunch with that one."

"Oh?" she raised her eyebrows. It's the same expression I associate with a cat's twitching tail. "When was that?"

"At EAS. Don't blame me. I can't help being a girl magnet. I was just eating and she came and sat down at my...at our...table. There were several other people there, but I'm pretty sure she wanted to talk to me. People always ask for my advice on bee problems."

Speaking of Bee Culture magazine, Read the back page column—Portrait of an Artist as an old Man.