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Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology

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Subject:
From:
Peter Borst <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Fri, 1 Mar 2002 07:26:45 -0500
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I wrote:
>One appears to be made of copper or bronze, is in very good
>condition; quite beautiful to look at, in fact. Perhaps this is the
>oldest one? It prints out ten cells in two inches (50.8 mm or 5.08
>per cell).

Query:
>Does the access include usage?

Reply:
Are you suggesting I make foundation? Funny! I did that for six
years, when I was in my twenties. I made a thousand pounds a day (on
a good day), working at Knorr's factory in San Diego. Henry Knorr's
father was one of the first people to make foundation in California
(if not THE first). That was one of the dullest jobs I ever had,
stamping out sheet after sheet. I used to turn up the radio full
blast so I could hear it over the screaming of the rollers and the
wack, wack, wack of the cutter.

I also sold bee supplies and met hundreds of beekeepers. That's where
I learned two things. One, every beekeepers thought there was ONE
RIGHT WAY -- his way (even some beginners think they know better than
anyone else). The other thing was: there is no one right way! You
have to develop a system that works for you. I ended up quite the
opposite from most of these guys: I always wanted to try something
new, something different, something better.

As far as making foundation is concerned, I wouldn't. I can buy it
cheaper than my time is worth, in any size want. I use plastic and
forget about eyelets, wire, blowout, the whole bit. Anyway, why would
I make foundation with little cells? That's your project, not mine.
Furthermore, after studying the literature and noticing the *general*
correlation between latitude and the size of the honey bee, I think a
large bee is better suited to our area where winter can last six
months and go down below zero Fahrenheit.

Probably the best bee for harsh winters is Apis mellifera mellifera.
Ruttner says:

>Among the largest and definitely the broadest of all known sub-species. ...
>
>The measurable external characters (the phenotype) of the Dark
>European honeybee has been definitely established by comparing
>recent samples from NW Europe with specimens from British museums
>collected in or before the 19th century and archeological finds from
>the excavation of a Viking settlement in York (10th century) .
>
>The phenotype of the Dark honeybee has not substantially changed ,
>neither in the last millenium in Europe nor by transplantation to
>the southern hemisphere (Tasmania and New Zealand) during the last
>150 years. -- from "The Dark European Honey Bee" by Friedrich
>Ruttner, 1990

--
Peter Borst <[log in to unmask]>

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