Aaron writes:
 My recollection is there are 3 shake downs required to get
from here to there.

Reply:
For each regression of comb down there is normally a size
jump of only .2mm average (some smaller and some larger)

Aaron continues:
I lost or forgot how the starting point unnatural large
queen gets to a queen that is comfortable on the 4.9mm
cells, I'm not sure if requeen is required every step of
the way, or if the smaller bees raise smaller queens,

Reply:
A shift of the queen is necessary for each step down with a
queen born in the new size, just like when upsizing was
done to lock in the steps upward.


Aaron continues: but I have come to understand the process
(shake down on to smaller foundation until you reach the
promised land) to be the regression, and the bees that live
in the promised land are regressed bees.

Reply:
The bees are regressed size wise, but not retrogressed
breeding wise as in either progressive or retrogressive
breeding for straightr bioloigcal meaning, but this is
confusing and most simply after 10 plus years just look at
the whole process as regressing down anymore.Though geeks
will break it out in deep debate on visits.

Aaron writes:
my understanding is that once regressed the bees stay
regressed as long as they are kept in a "regressed"
environment (small cell).  I think the
jury is still out on what happens when kept regressed bees
become feral

Reply:
Depending upon the sphere of influence, like when going
bigger for mating control, development of spheres of
influence, and/or nearness to areas of remotness (with more
feral bees, like national parks), work in sync with the now
regressed down bees. Also like going bigger, the bigger the
pool of hives used and area covered mean control of mating,
though it has been written that small and large have
different mating patterns nowadays (for so great did the
difference become! and Dr Taylor did the writing here by
the way which is interesting in itself if one paints a
whole picture.). So area dominance plays a key roll and in
the USA and EU domestic bees kept have certainly dominated
IMPOV to the detriment of natural occuring honeybees.

Respectfully submitted,

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





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