Isis writes:
You can say: putting bees on smaller cells reduces varroa,
fine. But then to say it is because the were smaller, that
simply doesn't follow. You can prove smaller cells reduces
varroa, but why is this so? Maybe because there's less
room, period.

Reply:
JGH is one reason; the size of the puddle of royal jelly is
another (like number of frogs in a pond/puddle);the heat
generated in the broodnest and placement of cell is
another, aka, drones on perifery, workerbrood more dense in
center, so so higher heat here and the mites in preference
go for the bigger slightly cooler drones.Also, with smaller
cell and number of cells being more for area of density you
have more division of labor for more workers for
housecleaning - like chewing out the infested cells. Also
smaller breeds faster and faster means less mites reaching
maturity.

Here is the a good part of program we have followed by the
way and not deviated from in concept for two regressions
down (one in 1980s and second for fine tuning starting in
1997):

http://www.beesource.com/pov/lusby/apiacta1992.htm

http://www.beesource.com/pov/lusby/apiacta1995.htm

http://www.beesource.com/pov/lusby/abjnov1989.htm


The above just involve field management with small cell and
breeding. If looking up where the fig. are underlined in
text hit with cursor and charts/grafts will come up.

Respectfully submitted,

Dee A. Lusby
Small Cell Commercial Beekeeper
Moyza, Arizona
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/OrganicBeekeepers/



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