Hi Keith & All,

I haven't found anything on the web about the Norway
small cell test just yet.

Might be able to get info from the man in charge:

prof. Stig W. Omholt
Agricultural University of Norway
Department of Animal Science
P.O. Box 25
N-1430 AAS
NORWAY
Email: stig.w.omholt@...

He has made some posts on BEE-L in the past.
The test started in 2002, maybe Dee, Hans-Otto or Erik
Osterlund or Bee Culture might have info on more
up to date test results, if it was allowed to continue
into 2005.

There were no treatment administered in the Norway
small cell test,  except for an initial treatment of
OA in order to even out mite populations and start
with low mite counts.

Hans states on the article that they are continuing
the test with a new breed of bee, "The new queens
introduced were of another breed, carnilolan. None of
the colonies was treated with any substance for the
mite".

The mite count was significantly lower in the small
cell group.  The findings are that the large cell
group averaged a peak if 2 mites per day and the large
cell group averaged a peak at 7 mites per
day.

In my experience, there are many factors contributing
to mite levels in individual colonies, levels can vary
from year to year, for this reason a
low mite count may not necessarally reflect that there
is an actual genetic resistance. Although, low counts
would be an item to consider in making selection
decisions, I myself do not put much weight on mite
counts by themselves, and don't even bother counting
them.   Instead, I choose hygienic testing and over
all performance in selecting for possible genetic
resistance.

I agree with you that the significant increase of
honey harvest in the small cell group would more than
pay for expenses made by switching over to small cell.


You can see that the range of surplus from the small
cell group was
= 50.7 - 136.6 lbs.
And the range of the large cell group
= 17.6 - 125.4 lbs.

A more predictable average surplus in the apiary would
suggest to me that the small cell group is somehow on
average better suited, healthier or more in tune over
all with the environment for them to out compete the
large cell group by 24%.

For example, IMO, you do not want to see a wide range
of anything but genetic variation in a bee yard. When
you have a wide range of winter failures or honey
harvest or colony strengths, you know that you have
some serious problems and or some equally serious
selecting to do.

Looking at the evidence in the small cell test.  The
small cell group has on average out-competed the large
cell group in every single area.  Even though many
large cell beekeepers boast of 'bigger payload'
capabilities in large cell bees.  These small cell
bees on average have managed to out-produce the large
cell bees in the broodnest and up in the supers.  This
can only mean that the small cell group was more fit
than the large cell group, and the use of small cell
comb allowed for a higher state of health for the
colonies in the small cell group.

Best Wishes,
Joe
PA






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