Hi Peter & All,

> OK, Dave. I am not sure anyone but you and I are still interested,
> but since you seem earnestly interested in this topic I will tell you
> what I think, and not what I have read. Anyone else who is sick of
> this, write to me personally and I will apologize for the length of
> this post.

Thanks for thinking for me Peter.

> I have *never* quarreled with this. If small cell foundation could
> rid my hives of mites, I would consider replacing it.

I don't think it is claimed that small cell foundation could *rid your hives
of mites*, but reduce the mite population to a manageable level for the
bees.

> I wouldn't even
> CARE about the theory, if it worked.

Theories have to be tried to be proved.

> I am not sure what I would do
> with the 10,000 frames I already have... I guess I could use them as
> supers!

If they prove to be obsolete what is the difference, besides they may be
contaminated any way.

> I already use queen excluders anyway. And by the way, we are
> probably the only ones in America who actually run 10 frames in ALL
> the boxes.
>

That's a narrow view, I for one know that this is not true.

> I just don't think it'll work, that's all. This problem is not going
> to yield to a simple solution.

No one has claimed that converting to 4.9 small cell was simple. This I am
proving to myself as I build new frames with small cell foundation
installed. Beekeeping is not and never will be simple or easy.

> A simple solution is one like Apistan.
> That worked for a while, right? Now on to something else.

Good point, now on to something else, like giving 4.9 small cell foundation
a good try. By the way when are you going to give small cells a try so you
can have an educated opinion on it. Also Apistan never worked for me because
I refuse to put such a poison in my hives.

> By the way,
> despite what James Fischer says, beekeeping is not plagued by more
> problems than other agriculture. I just took a short course on
> pesticide application and ALL agriculture is dependent on multiple
> applications of pesticides (except organic and third world
> subsistence farming).

Which is a really big problem. The health of the Planet and it's population
is suffering because of this practice. I practice organic methods with
little problems growing vegetables.

Keith Malone
Chugiak, Alaska USA
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http://takeoff.to/alaskahoney

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