Small cell foundation

[Itchy]

Does anyone know of any suppliers?

 

[victor meldrew]

I thought that myth had been exploded?
VM


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[jenkinsbrynmair]

 

[Black Comb]

Yes, a couple of years ago all the data was on here.

 

[Dusty Rhodes]

As this is in the beginners' section, can someone explain, please?


Dusty

 

[rook66]

Does anyone know of any suppliers?

Google "MS BIREDSKAPSFABRIKEN" They are in Sweden. They have three cell sizes, 4.9- 5.1 & 5.3 The nearest size to BS deep you can get is Norwegian (235mm X 342) The sheets (unwired) are on the heavy side, only 12 to the KG. Tho-rnes stocked it for a couple of years but due to lack of demand it was dropped.
I hope this helps.

 

[victor meldrew]

As this is in the beginners' section, can someone explain, please?


Dusty

the theory behind small cell is to reduce cell size to a "natural " size thus reducing the size of the worker bee to more like that of apis cerana and in so doing have the smaller bee manage Varoasis better .
I cant see this working as whenever a drone laying queen lays in worker cells, the bees enlarge the worker cell to accomadate the larger drone!
VM

 

[madasafish]

It was a natural bee keeping tenet that bringing up bees on foundation was unnatural. As the foundation was used to cater for more prolific and larger bees, man made foundation gradually used bigger cell sizes.

It was the claim of some natural beekeepers - after the onset of varroa- \That larger cell sizes encouraged varroa - more room for the mites to grow - and leaving bees to reduce their own cell sizes would counter varroa.

Needless to say there was no research to back up these claims - fairly typical of most natural beekeeping. When research was carried out in a scientific manner, the claims were found to be unsubstantiated.

But typically, most natural beekeeping sages ignored and still ignore the research.

That's it in a nutshell.



See also.
http://scientificbeekeeping.com/trial-of-honeysupercell-small-cell-combs/


I hasten to add the above is my take on it . I speak as a natural beekeeper - well sort of...

 

[rook66]

As this is in the beginners' section, can someone explain, please?


Dusty

Dusty, there are volumes on the net, start here
http://www.bushfarms.com/beesnaturalcell.htm

 

[Itchy]

Thanks all

Needed a few sheets to get a few started, they can make their own once they get going. Might have a few spare frames of natural comb, so it was really for struggling swarms.

 

[Black Comb]

As this is in the beginners' section, can someone explain, please?


Dusty

typing "small cell foundation" into the search engine reveals this thread which I think explains a lot.

http://beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=4331&highlight=small+cell+foundation

 

[Dusty Rhodes]

Thanks everyone.

I guess I wanted us to remember this section is for those without the background.

D

 

[Finman]

.
This way in this case

A reseach article, Bee Culture 2009
field tests 2006-2008
Jennifer Berry is the Research Coordinator
at the University of GA Bee Lab.

Mite infestation ranged from 28% to 47%.

The 4.8mm foundation size had a significantly higher infestation
(46.6%) of mites than the others with the 5.4mm coming in with the lowest infestation of 27.7%.

In this particular mite choice study the mites
preferred the smaller cells than the
larger ones. They too concluded that
small cell does not reduce infestation
by Varroa and therefore offers no
solution to the mite issues in New
Zealand.

 

[Finman]

.
The efficacy of small cell foundation as a varroa mite (Varroa destructor) control.

Ellis AM, Hayes GW, Ellis JD.



Author information



Abstract

Due to a continuing shift toward reducing/minimizing the use of chemicals in honey bee colonies, we explored the possibility of using small cell foundation as a varroa control. Based on the number of anecdotal reports supporting small cell as an efficacious varroa control tool, we hypothesized that bee colonies housed on combs constructed on small cell foundation would have lower varroa populations and higher adult bee populations and more cm(2) brood. To summarize our results, we found that the use of small cell foundation did not significantly affect cm(2) total brood, total mites per colony, mites per brood cell, or mites per adult bee, but did affect adult bee population for two sampling months. Varroa levels were similar in all colonies throughout the study. We found no evidence that small cell foundation was beneficial with regard to varroa control under the tested conditions in Florida.

 

[Tom Bick]

Has there been any research into any benefits of the larger cell size?

When I have measured the cells on my combs I have found they vary and sometimes similar or slightly larger than standard foundation.

 

[Hivemaker.]

Has there been any research into any benefits of the larger cell size?

You may find something in this thread on BS.
Does "Large Cell" Beekeeping work?
http://www.beesource.com/forums/showthread.php?276518-Does-quot-Large-Cell-quot-Beekeeping-work

 

[BeeJayBee]

As this is in the beginners' section, can someone explain, please?

Along with the other links there are two articles on Dave Cushman's site about cell size. Interesting reading, even if you don't plan to use the information.

The Cell Size of honey bee comb foundation
Possible influence and effects on bees and bee diseases
http://www.dave-cushman.net/bee/cellsize.html

and

Cell Size Regression in Honey Bee Colonies
http://www.dave-cushman.net/bee/cellregression.html

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Thanks all

Needed a few sheets to get a few started, they can make their own once they get going. Might have a few spare frames of natural comb, so it was really for struggling swarms.

Why bother at all then? if you are going to leave them make their own just put starter strips in all the frames. They'll cope just as well.

 

[Itchy]

Just curious to try some, but the question has led to some good reading.

 

[Finman]

Just curious to try some, .

and sacrifice your valuable hives.

.