Hello Bill & All,
Bill wrote:
 Just stumbles across this in searching for more info an cell size and
> AHB. It is from
 http://entomology.ucdavis.edu/faculty/mussen/7-8-97.html
What keyed my interest was the comment on increased varroa in EHB combs.
To me Bill evidence is out there to link small cell and reduced varroa
reproduction. Other researchers strongly disagree. A example is the new book
*Mites of the Honey Bee* by Webster & Delaplane. Only one place in the book
is cell size discussed and they say:
"The smaller cells of AHB ,along with the fact these bees have fewer mites
than European bees within the same setting has led to the conclusion that
possibly a small cell size would limit mite reproduction. Just the opposite
seems to be true. Larger cells have fewer mites."
I disagree and don't understand the reason for their conclusion but they
quote as reference the work of Ramon & Van Laere pg 521-529 of the book*
Asian Apiculture* by Wicwas Press.
I do not have access to *Asian Apiculture* at this time. Maybe another Bee-L
reader will read the reference and care to comment.
I highly recommend *Mites of the Honey Bee* to all beekeepers.
 I suspect that Webster & Delaplane have found a study to rebuke small cell
alone as the reason for the lack of reproduction of varroa on AHB.  Bill
Truesdell has found a report which shows a 50% increase in varroa
reproduction when AHB (Africanized Honey Bee)are put on large cell European
cell size. The UC Davis paper would indicate cell size is more important
than many previously thought.
Both sides of the cell size issue are firmly rooted in their beliefs.
As size goes down, SMR increases?
I don't know the answer you seek. Maybe Dr. Marla Spivak or others might.
All I have been told is we know SMR exists and SMR queens pass the trait on
to daughters. This time last year I had never heard of SMR (Suppression of
mite reproduction).
Sincerely,
Bob Harrison
Ps. Beekeepers keep learning new words and abr.. like SMR & PMS to say
nothing of *Varroa Destructor*.