A key element of being chemical free is the use of hybrid Russian honey bees to make our honey. The USDA Honey Bee Research Laboratory in Baton Rouge, Louisiana is producing queens derived from bees found on the far eastern side Russia in the coastal Primorski region around Vladivostok. These bees have been exposed to the Varroa mite, for over 150 years and are proven to be resistant. Moreover, they are highly resistant to tracheal mites, the other mortal enemy of honey bees here in the United States. While these bees are three times more expensive and require special management techniques, they help make it possible for our family to offer honey from hives not treated with chemicals.
Russian hybrid bees are also a good choice for our area because they do not build their colony populations until pollen is available and they shut down brood rearing when pollen is scarce. This characteristic helps them better prepare to survive the cold Michigan winters.
Nursery Apiary near our home.
Frame of Russian bees, brood & honey. Note the swarm cell at the bottom of frame.