Treatment-Free to Treatment Tipping Point: When Honey Bee Treatments Fail

After three years of running a reduced treatment protocol, I’m at a breaking point. In this video, I inspect colonies treated with Formic Pro and compare them against untreated hives to ask a tough question: is it worth it?

We’ll look at mite wash counts, queen survival, and the effects of treatments on brood health. Along the way, I highlight colonies that survived without intervention and others that collapsed despite following every protocol. The results show why genetics and monitoring may matter more than chemicals in the long run.

00:00 – Intro: Do Treatments Really Work?
00:34 – The Cost of Being Treatment-Free
01:08 – Yard Conditions: Beetles, Shade, and Foraging Bees
01:39 – Game Plan: Checking Colonies After Formic Pro
02:57 – Treatment Protocols & Proper Follow-Up Mite Counts
03:55 – First Hive Check: Signs of Weakness After Treatment
05:14 – Reality Check: Treating Doesn’t Guarantee Survival
06:28 – Second Hive: Deformed Wing Virus and Colony Stress
07:31 – Beetles, Formic Pads, and Unexpected Observations
08:51 – Broodless but Queenless: A Doomed Colony
10:08 – Monitoring vs Treating: Which Matters More?
10:56 – Third Hive: Eggs, Larvae, and Healthy Brood Return
12:34 – Encouraging Results Compared to Failing Colonies
13:27 – Fourth Hive: Queen Present, Colony Looking Strong
14:56 – Counting Mites on Used Formic Pads
15:16 – Comparing Harbo & PKB Assay Scores with Mite Counts
16:58 – Contrasting Neighboring Colonies: Low vs High Mite Loads
18:08 – Ten Colonies Treated, Nucleus Stock Waiting in Reserve
19:05 – Reflection: Nearly Half the Yard Required Treatment
20:01 – Survival Rates: Treated vs Treatment-Free Comparison
21:24 – Mixed Treatment Yard: Oxalic Acid Vapor vs Formic Pro
21:57 – Survival Data Shows: Treatments Don’t Solve Genetics
22:30 – Closing Thoughts: Why Reduced Treatment May Not Be Worth It

In this video, I share my personal journey and lessons learned about:

✅ Why I shifted toward reduced-treatment beekeeping

✅ How Varroa management strategies affect breeding and survival

✅ What this means for mite-resistant queen development

This is more than just a management choice — it’s a question about the future of sustainable beekeeping and the path toward locally adapted, mite-resistant honey bees.

🐝 Whether you’re a treatment-free beekeeper, a queen breeder, or simply looking to balance survival with sustainability, this story will resonate with your own decision-making process.

👉 Stick around to the end, and share your thoughts: Is selective treatment the right middle ground, or is it a compromise that holds us back from true resistance?

Topics covered: beekeeping, honey bees, queen rearing, bee breeding, honey bee genetics, varroa mites, hygienic bees, VSH bees, sustainable beekeeping, treatment free beekeeping, beekeeping education, honey bee resistance

Quick *hive inspection* reveals a concerning number of *varroa mites**, even after **varroa* treatments. It's a stark reminder of the challenges in *beekeeping* and maintaining *bee health* in the *apiary**. These findings highlight the ongoing battle against **varroa mites* in *honey bees* and the need for continued vigilance.