Hello All,

As the discussion on cell size winds down (again) I would like to comment. Before I start let me say I have the utmost respect Dee and Ed Lusby and their efforts.

Because Bee-L is a discussion I am only pointing out the differences of  two IPM methods being put before U.S. beekeepers this spring.

 When the cell size debate first started on Bee-L   I said the downsizing process proposed by the 49 ERs was simply to expensive and labor intensive for the larger beekeeper. I said the best solution would be through the use of queens  Russian or SMR.  

I believe the Russian strain could be improved by selection of the SMR trait in the Russian line. I personally did not use the Russian queens for a couple reasons which I have stated before on Bee-L but other beekeepers are reporting varroa tolerance with the Russians and I wish those beekeepers continued success.

My bees are doing great on 5.1 to 5.2mm foundation.  I love the plastic foundation and can scrape down the wax and let the bees redraw if I want new wax.  Too many drone cells on a frame ?  Just scrape down to plastic and let the bees redraw as worker cells. 

Which frames would you rather clean up with wax moth damage.

4.9mm wired wax or plastic? 

 Dr. Harbo said we would see the SMR trait in our hives in eight weeks. I am happy to report Dr. Harbo was correct.

 I believe we have got around 150 hives with open mated queens of the red and yellow line.  We received our breeder queens on July the fourth  2001. Raised queens and installed in hives. In late September the SMR queen headed hives had  One fourth and lower mite counts than the hives which we used brood from to make the hives up. 

All hives were treated the same.

Approx. 150 test SMR hives and hundreds of controls.

Dee and I have both succeeded in reaching a similar level of varroa control although I believe SMR hives will carry a lower level of varroa than any other method and base my opinion on the past seven years of research by Dr. Harbo and Dr. Harris.

Which IPM method beekeepers use is their own choice. 

1. Order a SMR open mated queen and requeen and get varroa control in eight weeks.

OR

2. convert all hives to 4.9mm. foundation in two downsizes.

Sincerely,
Bob Harrison

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