favorite method for powdered sugar treatments

[Brian D. Bray]

I think you should drop all that stuff an just move towards small cell.This could
save you alot of time and effort.The Bees would be happier also.
kirko

Why would the bees bee happier with small cell?----Asking myself ?Smaller cells - Smaller bees---less storage area---smaller bees = less work?

Missed the point.  The Hexigon shape of the honey comb cell is one of nature's strongest.  The shorter the sides of any multiple-sided object the stronger it is.  The bees will make as much comb as it take to produce brood and stores, the size of the comb is really immaterial to that.  What is important is that a small cell full of a bee pupae leaves little, if any, room for varroa mites.  That's why the varroa prefer drone comb, there's more room that allows them to reproduce better.  Also, small cell in Apis C., from where varroa came, is smaller still, which is why the varroa is almost exclusively lilmited to the drone comb in Apis C.  In Apis M., being a larger bee the mite can more easliy fit into worker sized brood cells and therefore the varroa mite population multiplies much faster.  Man, in his wisdon, has created wax foundation that is larger even than what Apis M. manufactures on their own, thereby compounding the problem. 

Smaller cell size is only one of the answers in a multiple answer solution to a particular problem, but, IMO, a valid one.

[annette]

I have to share this with all of you. When I went to visit one of our forum members a couple of months ago, I noticed that his bees were very small in size compared to mine. Also when he does his sticky board to count the mites, he comes up with hardly any mites. He showed me the sticky board and I could not find more than a few mites. He is a new beekeeper and this is his first year with his bees.

So I asked him to find out what size the cells are in the hive, because I just had a gut feeling that his bees are regressed in size. Today he came back to tell me, after he measured them, that they are 5.0, which would be considered small cell.

So in this case, small cell definitely means less mites. This is very encouraging news for me since this is the way I want to go to get rid of my mites. This is first hand experience of seeing it actually working.

Thought I  would share this.
Annette

[Michael Bush]

>This is first hand experience of seeing it actually working.

It is reassuring seeing it work.

[Kirk-o]

I second the Motion
kirko

[BenC]

Annette,

So in this case, small cell definitely means less mites.

I'm certainly hopeful/optimistic that something such as small or natural cell will be found an effective tool for mite management, but after reading your message I have to ask:

     How were you able to attribute the low mite counts to the 5.0 cell size.  Could other factors be responsible?  If small cell is the way you want to go then I hope it works for you,  I just have the impression that the statement quoted above may not be entirely accurate.

[annette]

I do not have any direct experience with small cell except for what I am reading here on this forum. I guess there could be other reasons that the mite count was so low, but what would those other reasons be???  He did not do any sort of treatment for mites this year. I guess I will follow this beekeeper and see how his mite counts are doing.

In the meantime, I am going in this direction. Experience will tell the truth.
I should have said "In this case, small cell appears to be less mites"

Thanks
Annette

[rdy-b]

one must remember it is sometimes difficult for someone-to accurately measure cell size - if they are just starting to take notice of what is happening-wasnt that person a first year newbee? -I am not saying they cant measure accurately -I am just saying to learn correctly can be difficult -and it is important to be accurate -I also think more people should pay attention to there cell size -happy bees make for happy beekeepers   RDY-B

[annette]

He is a first time beekeeper and measured using the measuring tape from the website provided by MB. I know Linda in Atlanta has also used this measuring tape.

That is all I know.

Thanks
Annette

[BenC]

reasons for a low mite count?  Here are a few I can think of:

1.) Incorrect sampling method
2.) small or natural cell
3.) different genetics or a different expression of same genetics (do bees have phenotypes?)
     what about grooming behavior?
4.) 1st year package or nuc, mites haven't gained a foothold yet.  Wait till end of next year for assesment.
5.) low mite pressure in the area
6.) swarming/supercedure (or multiple ones) that broke the brood cycle.

[Kirk-o]

Check this out ecologicalbeekeeping.com go to the library and read the small cell
stuff one guy went to the Lusby's a few years back spent three days going through Dee and Ed's beehives about a thousand more or less there is a lot of
got info there.Read it and see that there really is a alturnative to chemicals
kirko