Bob wrote this under cats and pigeons.  Not quite the subject I think is appropriate so have changed it to above.

> I think we all have been waiting for a large commercial beekeeper to embrace
> the Lusby methods. The beekeeper is downsizing in two steps exactly as Dee
> & Ed did.

> NOT what I am doing this spring.

Good luck.  Like you I thought I would like to try these small cell as it is claimed to be the panacea for varroa, which we do not yet have, and all other brood diseases.  Got hold of some 4.9 plastic as I reckoned that they would only chew ordinary wax foundation apart.  Tried for two years to get some nucs established.  The bees I selected were from a strong hive.  They did start to draw it at 4.9 but did a lot of higher sizes.  No problems I thought as I would just rip it out with the hive tool and let them redraw. The advantage of plastic??

The nucs never really built up whereas my "normal cell" nucs in the same area thrived and became "normal" honey producing hives.  The 4.9ers did not get out of a 4 frame nuc and did not survive winter.

Tried again this year.  Got them sort of established in a 4 frame nuc and then transferred into an 8 frame hive.  Success at last I thought!!!  They started to build up but no were near as fast as other in the same yard in 8 frame boxes.  Now they have decided that they do not want to draw off the foundation but build their own comb parallel to the foundation but just off the foundation.  A real pain.  Do I persist?  Probably just so I can try and get some on 4.9 and see if they are these wonder bees.

As I said, good luck Bob.

Trevor Weatherhead
AUSTRALIA
Hope you have been looking at www.apimondia2007.com


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