> Smaller honeybee cells neither reduce the reproductive
> success or the amount of cells infested by the Varroa
> destructor mite... Briefly, 5 rectangular pieces of comb
> 5 cm x 8 cm with cells ranging in size from 4.7 mm to 5.4 mm
> were inserted into the same brood combs

If I were one of the people earnestly trying to convince others
that "small cell is working for me", such a limited, contrived,
and highly artificial study methodology would only add fuel to the
long-smoldering resentment that "some scientists are determined
to discredit and ignore small cell at all cost, for reasons unknown".

The "fuel" would range from "gasoline" to "gunpowder".  :)

While the study appears to disprove the most commonly proffered
explanation that the smaller cells themselves make reproduction more
difficult for the mites, 5 sections of 5xm x 8cm would be less than
1% of the total comb surface area of a (roughly) 2800 square-inch
brood chamber (2 USA deeps or 3 USA mediums, each holding 10 frames).

> the author says that "enough sections (of comb) with correctly
> shaped cells were obtained for trial usage".

But fully-regressed colonies with 100% "regressed" brood comb are
the only type of colony said to survive without varroa treatments.
It is well-known that "partly-regressed" colonies cannot survive
without treatment, and all "party-regressed" colonies are sure
to have more than 1% of the total cells fall within "small cell"
parameters.  Heck, I'd bet that, if one measured each and every
cell in a random colony, one could find 1% of ANY colony's cells
fall within the definition of "small cells".  Comb is anything
but "perfect" and "consistent".

As I mentioned before, IR-4 is accepting proposals for research
grants on "biopesticides", and I assume that one could borrow,
rent, or buy a dozen fully-regressed colonies, and simply keep
them for a few years in a yard with varroa-infested colonies,
doing regular mite drop counts, and not treating them with anything.
This would be no more work than would be required to maintain
a group of "control" colonies in any study of any varroa control
approach.

I'd apply for the grant and run the study myself, but I'm not sure
that I would give much weight to yet another report from yet another
beekeeper, no matter how well-documented.
I'm not a card-carrying entomologist.


            jim (The fact that no one understands
                 you doesn't make you an artist.)

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