Allen Dick writes: a natural broodnest does pretty much what the small cell is claimed to do, regardless of the bees chosen. If this is so, then why the disppearance of feral colonies everywhere? Reply: yes, this is true, regardless of the bees chosen. The broodnest is the heart of the hive,but not only for reproduction of our bees. It also functions/works like a living liver. All bees can do this given a chance! Survive with natural sized small cells, while creating more division of labor to address their health. Always have. As for feral disappearance.....we have seen none in our area. But we have seen the growth of pesticide removals with continuous yearly cutting out of colonies in structures and places they say bees should not be and under various names.Plenty of AHBs but no European to be found. Strange it's worked this way. At the same time housing tracts continue to expand into outlying undeveloped areas. I also talk to many beekeepers from all over the USA on the phone, and in no area do I know of zero or no ferals remaining.The beekeepers are ketching fewer, but they still are ketching bees. As for more spraying or cutting out of bees in their areas, professoinally done, this I don't have first hand information to, though could probably assume, though that would be dangerous, some would say. Cannot say I know of the actual disappearance of ferals happening everywhere. It's just how it is said and looked at it seems. Respectfully Submited, Dee A. Lusby Small cell Commercial Beekeeper Tucson, Arizona http://groups.yahoo.com/group/OrganicBeekeepers/ __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/BEE-L for rules, FAQ and other info --- ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::