Who here bee keeping this year? I am brand new to it. Just got

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>>2075987
I wish I was bees

I've heard that using Top-bar hives instead of the regular Langstroth helps with mite infestations. The theory is that the combs are more compact and that forces the bees to be smaller and smaller bees are harder to infest with mites.

There are also some essential oils you can use to kill mites. Wintergreen, tea tree and patchouli will all work. You can mix it into some sugar syrup to feed the bees or just put a napkin covered with it on or near the hive so that the bees can dose themselves. You'd have to look up dosing quantity though. I don't know the ratios that are safe and that work.

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While I love wasps, I will not do any wasp posting here.

Instead, take a look at this cute, native Australian bee!
There are about 150 different species of bee native to Australia; only ten of which are eusocial like honey bees.

Some day I'd love to get a colony of these little bees to look after. They're far smaller than honey bees and don't have stingers. They can't make honey, though, but I'm ok with that.

>>2076367
Very cute. Especially in the eyes, where most bees have hair between eye clusters, this one has a very clean eye line, very pleasing to look at. Maybe its just her in particular, but a very aesthetically pleasing bee.
There are several species which do not sting. And some which even produce honey, but not in the quality and quantity that you would want for consumption.

I like bees and wasps and yellow jackets. They're all super cool.

I keep bees and I don't treat. I use black seed oil instead

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I am a bee too. Buzz buzz.

Bees are pretty sweet - this year I'm prepping my balcony to be extra bee-friendly.

How can I make my yard a welcoming place for bees, but still keep out wasps? I don't like stings

>>2077783

Nectar-producing plants are a must. Usually herbs and fruit-bearing plants/trees are great for attracting bees.
Just make sure you pluck the fruit when its ripe, ripened fruit will attract hungry wasps.

>>2075965

There was actually an article I read recently about a professor at university of Washington who teamed up with a fungi expert and they were doing some experiments to see if there is a fungi that kills mites and keeps the bees healthy.

It was recent but I can't recall where I found the article. They didn't have any data to release to the public just yet but give it time.

>>2075965
>what are some good ways to ensure a healthy, mite-free colony?


Most of the anti-mite treatment centres around getting your hives healthy enough to survive the winter, I believe. Lots of mites = weakened hives.