I can get behind that. I don't like moralizing either.
There's still lots of practical reasons to want and recommend treatment-free beekeeping practices:
- it's easier on the beekeeper
- less labor
- not working with dangerous chemicals
- it's cheaper (no need to buy said
dangerous chemicals)
- less time doing things to the bees
that the bees don't appreciate ==
fewer stings
- it's easier on the bees (no pesticides)
- it breeds stronger bees and weaker mites
It might be easier on the environment too (not so strong mites might not affect native pollinators much), or maybe not (stronger honeybees might really out-compete native pollinators).
Plus if the loss rates w/ and w/o treatment are similar, why bother treating?
Similarly there are moral and practical reasons to switch from Langstroth to top-bar hives:
- moral: kill fewer bees
- practical: get stung less,
no need for gloves
nor full suits, only veils
If a beekeeper lacks empathy for the bees, they might still have empathy for themselves!
There's still lots of practical reasons to want and recommend treatment-free beekeeping practices:
It might be easier on the environment too (not so strong mites might not affect native pollinators much), or maybe not (stronger honeybees might really out-compete native pollinators).Plus if the loss rates w/ and w/o treatment are similar, why bother treating?
Similarly there are moral and practical reasons to switch from Langstroth to top-bar hives:
If a beekeeper lacks empathy for the bees, they might still have empathy for themselves!