Ellis, Hayes, and Ellis take on the small cell myth and find it lacking


> Due to a continuing shift toward reducing/minimizing the use of chemicals in honey bee colonies, we explored the possibility of using small cell foundation as a varroa control. Based on the number of anecdotal reports supporting small cell as an efficacious varroa control tool, we hypothesized that bee colonies housed on combs constructed on small cell foundation would have lower varroa populations and higher adult bee populations and more cm(2) brood. To summarize our results, we found that the use of small cell foundation did not significantly affect cm(2) total brood, total mites per colony, mites per brood cell, or mites per adult bee, but did affect adult bee population for two sampling months. Varroa levels were similar in all colonies throughout the study. We found no evidence that small cell foundation was beneficial with regard to varroa control under the tested conditions in Florida.

> In April 2007, we established 15 full-size, Langstroth colonies for both treatments (30 total colonies). All colonies started with a sister queen and a 1 kg package of bees on new foundation. Small cell colonies received packaged bees prepared from existing small cell colonies, while standard colonies received packaged bees prepared from existing standard colonies. All bees were mixed race European We located all colonies on the same research farm but in separate apiaries separated by approx. 0.68 km.

> We tested the effects of foundation type (standard or small cell foundation) on adult bee population, cm2 total brood, total mites per colony, mites per brood cell, and mites per adult bee. Despite the anecdotal support given for small cell foundation and some positive data suggesting that cell size might play a role in varroa choice, we found no evidence that it was an efficacious varroa control under the tested conditions in Florida. We cannot recommend its use as a tool in an integrated pest management program aimed at controlling varroa.


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The efficacy of small cell foundation as a varroa mite (Varroa
destructor) control
A. M. Ellis - G. W. Hayes - J. D. Ellis
Exp Appl Acarol (2009) 47:311–316

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