I have smaller bees now!!!

annette · August 21, 2008, 03:41:56 PM

Well it appears that all this regression stuff seems to have worked. My bees have been drawing out their own combs and the bees have definitely gotten smaller. Even friends have noticed this.

Well the main thing here is everytime I do a mite count on the tray, well there is really nothing to count. Perhaps a handful of mites in each hive. Last year I was a slave to doing powdered sugar treatments all the time. This year only a few times in the Spring.

I will continue to monitor the mites to see what happens. This is an experiment right now.

Just wanted to share this bit of information.
Annette

Bill W. · August 22, 2008, 01:09:30 AM

Congratulations! The little bees seem more industrious, don't they?

annette · August 22, 2008, 02:03:23 AM

I don't know about that. Do they work harder than larger bees?? The main thing for me is the mites. I truly hope and pray this works out.

Annette

Bill W. · August 22, 2008, 02:15:58 AM

I don't think they actually are - they just look busier to me because there are more on the combs. ;)

annette · August 22, 2008, 02:17:33 AM

They certainly are cuter than the larger bees.

Cindi · August 22, 2008, 11:06:26 AM

Annette, you need to clarify what you are saying about the numbers of mites. YOu said that you are only finding a "handful" now, when I think of a handful of something it is quite a lot. Please more clearly define what handful means? That is important, and I need to know, nosey ol' me.... :-D :) :) :) Have the most wonderful and awesome day, Cindi

JP · August 22, 2008, 10:03:13 PM

Please don't keep the rock lady waiting too long Annette.

...JP :-D

Brian D. Bray · August 23, 2008, 02:31:59 AM

Quote from: annette on August 22, 2008, 02:17:33 AM
They certainly are cuter than the larger bees.

Are you implying that petite is more attractive?

annette · August 23, 2008, 09:31:59 AM

Cindi,

After the three days of having the sticky tray in the hive I counted only 5 mites in one hive. And 3 in the other. This was the total count without dividing it into 3. Now one important thing. I noticed that I have hives full up capped brood and very little open brood right now. I probably have much more developing mites in with the capped brood. I plan on doing another powdered sugar treatment in about 1 week and then 10 days after that to capture all the mites. I am sure I will find many more mites next week. I will post the results and let you all know.

Love
Annette

Cindi · August 23, 2008, 03:36:33 PM

JP, you're still a brat!!!
Annette, that is good to hear now, I was picturing about 20,000 mites, I think a handful would be at least that many, hee, hee. Keep us posted on your mite counting, I think mite counting is a good thing and is not a waster of time. Beautiful and most wonderful day, love life. Cindi

josbees · November 18, 2008, 11:06:23 AM

Annette -- how long did it take you to regress to the smaller bees? Did you just load up your deep with smaller foundation and let them figure it out?

annette · November 18, 2008, 09:27:29 PM

I am not saying for sure that the bees are totally regressed, just that I have noticed that they look smaller to me. I have not done any measuring of the combs.

On one hive, I have been placing frames with starter strips only between frames of brood. I have done this about once every few weeks for a few months during the swarming period. I still have plastic frames in this hive in between all natural frames. The hive is sort of a hodge podge of different frames. But the brood super has a nice amount of just natural frames which I introduced over the course of 2 summers.

On my other hive which was started from a package,this summer, I just began from the very beginning when I installed the package and used all starter strip frames and let them build their own wax combs.

My last mite count in October was unbelievable. I counted about 3 in one hive and nothing in the other after a three day fall after a powder sugar dustings.

I feel really good about this. Only time will tell how well it will work or if this is even the reason why the count is so low.
It could be other factors why I am showing so little mite count, but I am hoping it is related.

Annette

josbees · November 18, 2008, 11:01:06 PM

Okay. Duh. What's a starter strip?

Melilem · November 18, 2008, 11:59:18 PM

I really like your scientific approach :) Please keep us updated on your progress, Annette. Oh, what type of bees do you have?

JP · November 19, 2008, 12:13:45 AM

Quote from: Melilem on November 18, 2008, 11:59:18 PM
I really like your scientific approach :) Please keep us updated on your progress, Annette. Oh, what type of bees do you have?

Annette keeps honeybees.

...JP

josbees · November 19, 2008, 08:44:49 AM

Ha ha hahahahahah!

annette · November 19, 2008, 02:09:54 PM

The queens are italian.

Starter strips are strips of wax that I melt into the grooves in the frames to give the bees a reference point on where to start to draw out the wax combs. If you would like more info I can direct you to a very good website from one of our members here who has a video showing how to do this.

Some beeks here use other things other than wax, like popsicle sticks. The main thing is the bees have a strip of something right down the center of the frame and they then draw out the wax combs really straight. (we hope!!)

Have a great day
annette

josbees · November 19, 2008, 02:39:35 PM

I'd love to take a look at the video. Thanks Annette!

Melilem · November 19, 2008, 02:57:37 PM

Quote from: JP on November 19, 2008, 12:13:45 AM
Quote from: Melilem on November 18, 2008, 11:59:18 PM
I really like your scientific approach :) Please keep us updated on your progress, Annette. Oh, what type of bees do you have?

Annette keeps honeybees.

...J

You are a funny, funny man, JP

JP · November 19, 2008, 10:09:41 PM

;)

...JP :-D