Hi all,

> site, that is fitted with foundation only.  Couldn't one simply fit the
> new equipment with 4.9 foundation, accomplish the step down and
> skip the transition phase?

No.  This is how we regress colonies using shook swarm.  Bees only can go
down .2mm at a clip.  If you start at 5.4 mm it will usually take three of
these shake downs plus some culling. I have found using strips will give
much drone comb and excessive transition comb.  My best results have been
from full foundation.

?  Is it that the
transitional phase is required, somethhing like binding feet to get
them to fit into tiny shoes?

reply:

As stated above . Bees can only key there body size down so fast around
.2mm.  This takes time and you need at least two brood cycles before you can
shake the bees down again to allow there size to adjust.  Some colonies you
can just progressively add foundation between brood combs and size them
down.  Others you can't and must be shaken.

I will regress 20- 30 colonies next season to give a better picture(in
addition to the 6 from this year). As Barry stated it take three years of
work(maybe four). As for results there are none to give yet as the
foundation has only been available a short while.  Don't flame us going in
this direction we need time to do the ground work before we can report.

Clay