I was reading the latest issue of Beekeepers Quarterly (November) and 
there was an article on biodynamic beekeeping.  I don't know that much 
about biodynamics, although I tried to read Rudolf Steiner's book on bees 
and pounded my coffee table too often to be able to finish it.  

I understand that biodymaic beekeepers use frames but no foundation.  I 
remember Tibor Szabo once talking about running bees on frames that were 
started with a narrow strip of wax at the top.  He said it kind of fast 
and I don't remember the details. I often drop a frame with a strip of 
foundation along the top as a way to produce drone brood... I usually get 
3/4 of a frame of drone cells.  Are there any biodynamic subscribers who 
can explain to me how you can get bees to draw frames with worker cells 
without using foundation. 

On a related note there is a fantastic series of internet movies on skep 
beekeeping in Germany... very detailed... hours of viewing.  The beekeeper 
featured in the video operates about 1,000 skeps and sells the honey for a 
gazillion dollars a pound.  The techniques used to divide colonies stretch 
my understanding of bee biology to its limits.  Worth watching.

Adony

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