# Preventative antibiotic use?



## Ford Zoo (Jan 27, 2012)

Still gathering info and have not yet made it to the local meeting. So wondering the overall opinions/experiences with preventative antibiotics. 

As with my other animals and my family, I prefer to boost immunity in natural ways and only use antibiotics if necessary for treatment-not for prevention. 

What is the consensus with bee keeping these days?


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## Iddee (Sep 25, 2005)

Antibiotics, I don't know, but preventative chemical pest control is the best way I know to help the pests become immune to the chemical. I never put any chemical in a hive until I have checked and found a problem.


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## indypartridge (Oct 26, 2004)

I treat problems. I don't treat problems I don't have.


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## Ford Zoo (Jan 27, 2012)

Thanks, just what I thought. Someone local hobbyist is preaching to new bee keepers all the chemicals and antibiotics they need to use when setting up their new hives he is selling them. 

I foresee a lot of unhappy first year beekeepers if they listen to him. I keep biting my tongue until I know enough to share better management to these people.


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## beegrowing (Apr 1, 2014)

Preventative treatement? No. I'm not opposed to "help" like HoneBeeHealthy in syrup for a new package though. The best "antibiotics" are lots of herb plants-especially mint family- and lavender and echinacea flowers,etc in the yard for them. Many natural medicine plants (and weeds) for humans also help bees immunity when gathered in their pollen.(But get rid of feverfew---it drives them away for some reason!) Their propolis is full of antibacterial resins too. If they have access they love those plants and ward off That sort of disease naturally.
Mold formed in wet winters doesn't even hurt them much at all...they clean it out when the weather dries(some beeks help them and toss comb that looks awful though). When a dead colony is found full of mold folks get the wrong idea about mold killing them;when I researched it,the consensus was the mold didn't kill them but took over After they died...and it might even be penicillin mold,Ha!
New packages of bees are almost Always treated before they are sold by bee yards. Hence a new Beek has months before they need to watch for mites and the colony usually builds up a great deal before the first mite treatment is needed. Usually! But keep watch! As you will learn,darn near Everything is "variable" with bees. We all learn our own hives and they can be very different. My 3 never need help at the same time.


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