The mite infestation and fall conditions Dennis Murrell described are
inconsistent with SMR bees and sound to me more like hygienic behavior.  In
SMR bees, mites simply do not reproduce to any great extent.  SMR stands for
Suppressive Mite Reproduction.  This is not the same as the bees do not
tolerate mites (as in bite them, kick their butts, throw them out, discard
pupae infested with mites).  The latter is a behavioral trait, the former is
a genetic trait.  Both traits are good, but they're not the same thing.
Adding 4.9 cell size to the converstaion just adds another parameter to a
converstaion that was mis-named in the first place.

The way I interpret what Dennis describes is that his SMR bees aren't
SMRing, but they are exhibiting the behavior attributed by the 49ers to 4.9
cell size.

Aaron Morris - I think, therefore I bee!