Hello Allen and Everyone,

I sure do like the digest option on the mailing lists, especially during
the summer.

While working bees commercially sometimes a yard would fail to get
treated and varroa levels would climb and decimate the bees. All the bees
I worked commercially were on standard comb.

Two seasons ago I left commercial beekeeping but decided to play with a
dozen hives without chemical treatments. I obtained a variety of stock
including the Russians and lately the SMR bees. Used mesh bottom boards
and monitored the mites. Last year I put everything on small cell
foundation and experimented with some powdered sugar dusting. So this is
the third season and I finally like what I see with the small cell. The
results have been pretty much as described by the Lusby's.

I initially thought that the most difficult part of the process would be
to find a bee that would be suitable on the small cell foundation. Maybe
it would be uniquely adapted to the Southwestern United States. However,
the Russians bees readily drew out the foundation but some perished from
tracheal mites or were requeened because of their temperament. The SMR
Harbo from Weavers in Texas seems to do well on the smaller comb as did
my own SMR open mated bees.

A small test to be sure but sharing what I have from Casper, Wyoming,
USA.

Will keep everyone posted as the season progresses.

Best Wishes
Dennis