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Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology

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Subject:
From:
Bob & Liz <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Fri, 13 Jul 2001 21:37:40 -0500
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Hello Barry & All,

> > Today, the net result is a wide variance in worker cell sizes produced
> > by "natural" or "wild" scutellata. These range from about 4.3mm to
> > 4.7mm per cell (according to the methodology on the website you
> > referred to). It would be foolhardy to give a mean value, due to the
> > variance in hybridisation...

 In Texas the AHB worker cell size seems to run almost always 4.9mm (plus or
minus 1mm) according to Paul Jackson the state bee inspector.  Beekeeping
books list cerana drone cell size at 4.7mm and worker cells at 4.3mm.
According to "The Varroa Handbook" varroa has never been able to reproduce
in cerana worker brood.  Thats' really the key to why cerana and varroa
coexist.   If you are seeing varroa reproduce in Scut worker cells of 4.3 mm
then cell size is NOT the answer with cerana and the reason varroa doesn't
reproduce in cerana worker cells is another reason besides simply cell size.

> If the Cape bee is larger, it almost appears that the African foundation
is
> built to favour Cape bees over scutellata, and I wonder if this is part of
the
> problem with Cape bees getting control of managed hives.  I also wonder
what  size pure Cape bees build when in the wild.

What I wonder is why capensis worker bees emerge in 19 days instead of the
normal 21. Do any Bee-L researchers know why?

> Anyhow, this report tends to dispute the widely held idea that the natural
cell  size for scutellata is 4.9.

I believe 4.9mm is the cell size we see with AHB in our area of the world.
Are you scuts smaller than the U.S. AHB?   It is possible the pure scuts use
a smaller cell size in SA.  I would have thought one of our researchers
would have noted a 2 to 6 mm difference but I don't believe scuts have been
researched a great deal.

Very little has been said about the large hive beetle Hoplostomus
fuliginneus (Cetontinae). Whats the story on those *bad boys* Barry?

Sincerely,
Bob Harrison
Odessa, Missouri

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