> varroa control was in the cell size. I my opinion all varroa research
> which has had limited success should be put on a back burner and new
> avenues should be pursued. Varroa is winning the war and the use of
> chemicals both legal and illegal could destroy the beekeeping industry
> through contamination of wax and honey. Please look at the map of the
> known distribution of Varroa jacobsoni in 1985 on page 396 and look at
> the same map today and tell me if the best scientific minds of today
> have the solution! I DON'T THINK SO!

Hi Bob -

While we are not in complete unison in our thinking on parts of this matter,
I feel you are right on target with your last statement. I will go one step
further and point out that the use of chemicals today IS destroying the
beekeeping industry as report upon report is bearing this out. I'm not a
radical purist that thinks there is no place for drugs and chemicals in our
daily life but I do get frustrated with our industry when something so basic
and simple as a different cell size, that seemingly allows the bees to live
with and keep in check the mites that attack it, as far as I know, is not
currently being studied by our good scientists even though it is being used
by many already with very good results and there are no published papers out
there that I've seen that have spoken negatively of smaller cells and it's
affect on mites.

I appreciate John Edward's reply to my post a few days ago on this subject
and I told him I do appreciate his involvement here on the list. I wish
there were more like him.

I wrote: "Is the idea so off base that it's ludicrous?"  I still have never
been told or given a reason by anyone with knowledge in this area that would
cause me to question it (no longer a theory as it is being done successfully
in the field). Bob, I'm afraid Dadant or any other major foundation supplier
won't be turning out the smaller size foundation for you. They won't even do
it for the USDA. Until this whole issue is proven one way or another in the
lab or enough beekeepers take it upon themselves to make their own and a
shift begins to grow, it will stay the same. As time goes by, the physical
proof will come to light and what will matter in the end is whether one
still has live bees to keep and make a living from them. It's not looking
too good with our chemical option is it.

I wonder at times if it isn't comparable to what happened years ago in the
building industry with the advent of PVC plumbing. When efforts were first
made to get PVC accepted in the code book for commercial and residential
use, it was fought by the union to keep it out. This is only natural when
ones "corner on the market", (the ability to work with and install cast
iron) is threatened by a product that is simple to work with and allows
installation at a much faster rate. Many years ago another man invented a
machine that could lay bricks at an astonishing rate but it never saw the
light of day thanks to those who's lively hood was laying bricks by hand.

Still searching for answers.

Regards,
Barry