Bob:
Hello Dee & All,
The things Dee said are in the archives here and are as she
just posted and small cell has been discussed repeatedly.
Which is for my area of the Midwest and also Allen Dicks
area of Canada (latitude & longitude) 4.9mm is too small
and not the *natural* size and according to those early
discussions our cell size would be more like 5.1mm instead.
Reply:
Not really Bob! for Nature is not that cut and dry.....All
animals of which honeybees are, break out into small,
medium, and large range. For the medium going into the
large size I can see what you say. But for the medium going
into the small size I cannot, especially with small cell
sizes noted in old archives in Bee World and early ABJ, and
ABC and XYZ of Bee Culture.
This also then when looked at by longgitude and latitude
breaks out this way in same old archives over in the Nordic
States and the EU mainland. But can agree majority was
bigger, and bigger was probably used by beekeepers. But
Still the bottom rung is there and looks like to me wanting
now, for in smaler comes variability for change when severe
stress problems arise which include most all
pests/predators/and secondary diseases.
While in our southern states the core of broodnests might
be majority SC below the 4.9mm medium center range with
succeedingly larger as one goes to the side, even in the
area you are, there would still be medium range though
larger cells found. With 4.9mm in the medium range then
where it would be larger down south more, then in your
area, it would be right there on, for starting with instead
of smaller 4.7mm to 4.8mm, and yet in Nebr and elsewhere
you have many beekeepers saying today and posting on other
sites, they are seeing smaller being produced in their
feral. So the bees must be wanting and needing it, or would
not be wanting to do it to a point in the general mid-west
area.
Now this is not Allen Dick's area above the 50th parallel
and there I can see the larger size mode you quote as
majority and yet there will be some 4.9mm as smallest in
the smallest sizes for full variability for breeding needs
by the bees, and this is seen in old archives of the nordic
States, as told to me by Erik Osterlund, and is probably
noted in old archives here on BEE-L too in prior
discussions.
But remember SC 4.9mm has been stated to be used for
"starting out and regressing to stabilize" and then you
follow the bees for what the bees want.... So if they go
larger be happy for you then get what you want if they can
continue to take care of problems and remain healthy;...
but if they go smaller, follow them and work accordingly.
Also, take all culled comb drawn wrong, and put into honey
supers, for even if drawnout wrong it will still be smaller
for the most part then the bigger LC stuff on todays
market. Then you can always melt and redo as volume
permits.
But you are right Bob for bigger out weights the SC in
volume above the 40th parallel, but don't believe as much
as you think.....and until you travel the path following
the bees needs, you will not know in a way, be it SC
foundation or HSC or foundationless even, though I cannot
see foundationless for commercial production needs and
migratory.... though I can see the other!...
Regards,
Dee
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