Hi Guys,

There is something else at work with cell size beyond the factors involved
with SMR. Bees in my small cell hives have been able to tolerate varroa
mites without treatment.  But when these same bees are placed on large cell
comb, the varroa population increases. And some of these hives will display
such symptoms as DWV or MWV by the end of the first season. These same large
cell hives would be dead by the end of the second season without treatment.

It may be interesting to note that I have seen some of the characteristics
attributed to small cell size in large cell colonies on clean wax. Getting
the pesticides out is a major factor to colony health.

But it is the bees ability to detect and remove mite infected pupa that is
related to cell size somehow. That cleansing just doesn't occur when bees
are on the larger sized comb.

Regards
Dennis

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