Comb size and mites

[SgtMaj]

I keep reading articles about comb size, and they keep referencing varroa mites, and some almost sound like they are saying smaller cell size helps control the mites.  Is that true?  I'm confused about this, and not just because it's 4am and I've been up all night.

[Robo]

Use the search feature of the forum.  You will find plenty of opinions on this topic.

[Bill W.]

The research is neither extensive nor conclusive on the subject.  On the surface, it makes a lot of sense.  Varroa likes drone cells because there is more room.  Extending this logic to smaller cells means there may be even less space for Varroa.

However, I think the more compelling argument is more bees per hive with smaller cell size.  The more foragers you have, the stronger the hive.  It also may be true that smaller bees fly in a wider range of weather conditions.  This appears to be the case for my feral bees on small cell vs. my Italians on "normal" cell size.

I haven't noticed a big enough difference that I will throw out all my normal gear and retrofit with small cell, but I will probably only buy new small cell gear as time goes on.

[SgtMaj]

Interresting.  But you still put large cell on the supers for the honey though, right?

I wonder if the size of the bee changes what it forrages from... (malnutrition is one of the factors in CCD, right?)

I wonder what other changes there are between large and small bees.  Is their temperament the same?

[bassman1977]

I haven't noticed a big enough difference that I will throw out all my normal gear and retrofit with small cell, but I will probably only buy new small cell gear as time goes on.

I have.  I'm now transitioning to natural cell.  I've been fully small cell for two years (this is my second year).  I have NEVER used a chemical method to treat.  Aside from one hive that had a lot of drone comb (which has recently been corrected) my mite counts have been 4 or less per hive doing a sugar shake.  Typically the count is 1 or 2.

Interresting.  But you still put large cell on the supers for the honey though, right?

I do, but using an open brood nest will allow for the queen to lay in there, thus temporarily reversing what you are supposed to be doing with the mites.  I say temporarily, because she won't lay up there forever and also, you will eventually take those off.  I went back to using an excluder on two of my hives to see how it works.  They are doing real well.  If you use the excluder, make sure use you drawn foundation and not undrawn.  It makes a difference.

I wonder if the size of the bee changes what it forrages from... (malnutrition is one of the factors in CCD, right?)

Yes and no. They will forage whatever they used to forage.  Some types of flowers they won't be able to get to.  If I recall, it was the red clover which made early beeks go to large cell to begin with.  Their tongue was not long enough to get into the red clover.  I'm sure there are others.  I'm not sure if they could ever get into honey suckle.

I wonder what other changes there are between large and small bees.

The larger celled bees are using small cell wing muscles.  Now you have an F350 running on an Escort engine.  Going back to small cell rights this.

Is their temperament the same?

Yes.  But they are so cute.  :-D

[Michael Bush]

http://www.bushfarms.com/beesnaturalcell.htm
http://www.beesource.com/pov/lusby/index.htm
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Organicbeekeepers