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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