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Subject:
From:
Allen Dick <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Mon, 3 Dec 2001 19:57:12 -0700
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More from the Norlandbeekeepers list:
---
From:  Dennis Murrell
Date:  Mon Nov 26, 2001  8:24 pm
Subject:  Re: [Norlandbeekeepers] Re: Russian Bees and Small Cells

 Hello Robert and Everyone,

< May we have some details? Your environment is so different from Dee's
that it would be really interesting to compare <your results.

I have posted some of my observations on other lists but will share some
of my impressions here. Initially I didn't think that a 10% difference in
cell diameter would affect the size of the bee so significantly. The
smaller bees are noticeably smaller and much more active than their
larger sisters. Once around the smaller bees for awhile they become the
norm. While away visiting over the holidays, the weather allowed a little
flight time for bees in the area. I spotted a bee working and had to look
twice to make sure it wasn't a wild bee it appeared so large, but it was
a honeybee worker from larger cell foundation.

Another very different and startling impression was how visible the
varroa mites are on the smaller bees. I seldom saw a mite on my bees
during hive inspections before switching to small cells. I would monitor
mite fall and sample bees from the brood area but mites were almost
always hidden between the plates on the ventral side of the abdomen. With
the smaller bees the mites are completely located on the exterior of the
bee and are readily seen. I have yet to see a mite on a healthy bee
between the plates. They locate exclusively in four spots on the anterior
part of the abdomen. Only rarely do I see one on top of the thorax. I
have seen mites between the abdominal plates on a small cell bee caught
below a screened bottom board in a mite trap. The bee had been there for
days and was chilled. It's the only exception.

With the mites so visible my emotional reaction was that the infestation
was much worse than it really was. Testing showed that the infestation
was no worse than normal and the hives were doing fine. This was a hard
emotional response for me to overcome as I had been doctoring hives for
decades.

This is the first year I have not found a single chalk brood mummy in any
of my hives. Small cell? Russian bees? Or screened bottom board?

Mite fall was much the same as from my large cell hives until August. At
that time the bees began to aggressively attack the varroa mites. Natural
mite fall increased dramatically. Hives that had been dropping less than
30 mites/day were suddenly dropping hundreds. Lots of these mites had
been damaged by the bees. Some hives had bit over 90% of the fallen
mites. Lots of male mites and immatures also appeared in the natural mite
fall. Before August it was almost exclusively mature females. I had
looked for bee damaged mites in my own selection program but hadn't seen
any until now. All races damaged the mites.

Natural mite fall continued to increase and then decreased until less
than 30 mites/day were falling by November.

The bees uncapped sealed, varroa infested larva at the purple eyed stage
and eventually removed them. I inspected the uncapped or bald headed
brood while examining the hives and every uncapped pupa was heavily
infested with varroa, often with 4 or 5 mature females present. I found
only a few with immatures and males present. My  uncapping about a
hundred sealed brood on the same frame failed to yield even a single
mite, even with drone brood examined. I think the varroa might be
concentrated into a few worker cells or possibly the bald headed brood is
attractive to the varroa. The bees don't remove the pupa immediately
after uncapping even with hygienic bees. Some of it may survive and
hatch, but not much mite reproduction had occurred.

I brought a frame home to photograph and the next day decided to inspect
the bald headed brood. Not a single mite could be found where plenty were
found the day before. It appears the mites leave the cells when the brood
frame is removed from the hive as I saw a mite or two on the frame while
photographing it.

When examining hives the occasional mite damaged bee would be found, even
with single digit mite infestations levels. Again maybe the mites are
concentrating on a few individuals that are particularly attractive or
susceptible.

Overall I had a variety of races on small cell comb in a completely
different climate than Tucson's and all of them drew the comb and
cleansed the brood just as described by Ed and Dee Lusby.

Best Wishes
Dennis

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