Olda Vancata wrote:

> Different bee races = different sizes. Why "put" big body in small
> cells and why putt small body i big cells?  Bees should be kept i
> NATURALL size of cells. Right?

The more I read about "regression" the most confused I become. I agree
with the above post, since, if the race of bee is naturally on say,
5.01, why provide an unnatural 4.9?

Dennis says that his bees on TBH build to a specific size (range
actually, but they are a consistent range) which seems to me would be
specific to the race. I recall a post long ago that did give the natural
sizes of the different races and they are all over the range, generally
with larger bees in colder climates. So why would a larger bee on larger
cells be any different than a smaller bee on small cells?

Suppositions abound on this subject, and that is what really bothers me.
No facts, but great guesses based on the outcome and the guesses do not
make sense.

If, as the guesses go, it is the smaller cell that crowds the mite (or
does whatever), then

1. it is an unnatural cell size for the bee if the reason is crowding
2. if another larger race of bee is used they they should be crowded on
something greater than 4.9 but anything above that supposedly does not work
3. but in TBH, natural cell size is used so do bees make smaller cells
to make smaller bees? Or is it the race of bee involved?
4. if not, then the bees are not crowded so what is actually happening?
5. is cell size dependent on race (which would seem to be obvious, but
who knows). But if it is, then why does 5.0 not work if that is natural
for a race? But, according to the proponents of small cell beekeeping,
it is 4.9 or bust.

As I say, I am confused. Obviously, I need to click my ruby slippers and
get back to Kansas.

Bill Truesdell
Bath, Maine

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