Carnolian or new world carnolian

[Jerrymac]

Let us say the majority of deaths in the USA are from tobacco. I guess we could then just assume that all deaths are tobacco related, unless we go and research what did cause each individual death.

There are small cell, organic, natural, beekeepers with various different species of bees. They claim that once they get the size down and maintained, all their different secies of bees groom for and chew out mites.

I am not really the one to try to argue these points as I am just starting, and sometimes have a hard time explaining thingsanyway.

As you know if you read the Lab forum. I just got my first hive yesterday by extracting them from a wall. Let's see how I'm doing in a year.

[TwT]

jerry, have you measure the comb to see what size it was , if those bee's are regressed, you can order 4.9 cell foundation from dadant.

http://www.dadant.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=38&products_id=79

then you dont have to regress and you can start your own small cell research this year on how small cell bee's do, those bee's you have are probably survivors anyway if they been there a few years!

the thing I would like to hear about small cell is that someone get's about 50 hive of italians that wouldn't survive with out chemicals and regress those 50 to small cell then take the chemicals away, after a year I would like to know how many survived. if i can see a experiment like that I might believe small cell is the way to go, but until then I have to got with mite tolerant bee's. the only small cell bee's I have heard about could have the resistant trait's in them , most were survivor hives (feral)anyway or hive that wasnt lost when the other's in there bee yard was lost.

[Jerrymac]

I finally got the cretit card mess fixed and got my 4.9 from Brushy Mountain. I got two pans of comb besides what I tied into frames from the barn bees and I'm gonna do extensive measureing. I'm going this organic, natural, small cell way as an experiment and will be posting results in the Lab forum. As mentioned, if I can do it and get the girls to survive and thrive, any body can.

What I really wish I had in order to save time is fully drawn out 4.9 comb.

Oh. Another thing I failed to mention. Someone has noticed that after you get bees reduced you need to cut the frames down so you have one and a quarter inches center to center. Or the bees will still draw a bit bigger.

[Robo]

What I really wish I had in order to save time is fully drawn out 4.9 comb.

There have been some who have taken permacomb and wax coat it to reduce the cell sizes.

[Jerrymac]

Yep. I've seen that, but I sure do like wax, and hate plastic.

I can't stand drinking out of plastic.

[golfpsycho]

I want you to succeed  Jerrymac.  I want all of us to succeed.  Sounds like you did a great job with the extraction.  I guess my only question is, and this would be for M Bush as well, is how long have you had your bees regressed?  I don't remember the dates ( age addled mind) but I don't think it has been very long since he was "wiped out" by the vorroa.  One season, or even two, doesn't always equal success.  If your bees, michaels bees, are still kicking in  a few more years, then I'll jump on the bandwagon.  But I think population size, virii infection, mite population are all related in ways we don't yet understand.  At times, it seems to me we could split and stay ahead of PMS by simply making increases with a new queen.  Other times, it seems nothing will work, and we are doomed to a repeat of history.  I'm anxious to here how your bees do.