Welcome, Guest

Author Topic: Starter Strips and converting to "natural"  (Read 14916 times)

Online Michael Bush

  • Universal Bee
  • *******
  • Posts: 19807
  • Gender: Male
    • bushfarms.com
Re: Starter Strips and converting to "natural"
« Reply #20 on: December 30, 2007, 08:13:17 pm »
>NC = Natural Cell

That would make sense.  I just haven't seen it abreviated by anyone before.  But then there is no "Natural Cell" foundation.  There is only large cell and small cell.  The bees build natural comb, but there is no natural foundation.

My website:  bushfarms.com/bees.htm en espanol: bushfarms.com/es_bees.htm  auf deutsche: bushfarms.com/de_bees.htm  em portugues:  bushfarms.com/pt_bees.htm
My book:  ThePracticalBeekeeper.com
-------------------
"Everything works if you let it."--James "Big Boy" Medlin

Offline steveouk

  • House Bee
  • **
  • Posts: 206
  • Gender: Male
  • A Brit living in the USA
    • Steve's Bees
Re: Starter Strips and converting to "natural"
« Reply #21 on: December 30, 2007, 10:09:16 pm »
yeah sorry still trying to come to terms different people also seem to call different things differently. Gets a bit confusing.

also gets confusing when you type in Natural cell in google and it comes up with different links. From what i have read people feel that 4.9-5.1 mm is "Natural Cell" size.

Offline Cindi

  • Galactic Bee
  • ******
  • Posts: 9825
  • Gender: Female
Re: Starter Strips and converting to "natural"
« Reply #22 on: December 31, 2007, 10:17:26 am »
Steve, you are new to our forum, I don't think that you have been officially welcomed.  Well, here it is, one of the official welcomes, hee, hee  :) :) :)

Nice to have you come to visit us here, great people, lots of wonderful information, you will learn and learn, lots of seasoned beekeepers and new learners, safe, happy, wonderful, place.  Anyways welcome, ask any question, no matter how insignificant you may feel it may be to people, it is not so.  Every question is great and deserves a great answer, and to that, you will get many different answers.  Enjoy our forum.  Have a great and wonderful day.  Cindi
There are strange things done in the midnight sun by the men who moil for gold.  The Arctic trails have their secret tales that would make your blood run cold.  The Northern Lights have seen queer sights, but the queerest they ever did see, what the night on the marge of Lake Lebarge, I cremated Sam McGee.  Robert Service

Offline steveouk

  • House Bee
  • **
  • Posts: 206
  • Gender: Male
  • A Brit living in the USA
    • Steve's Bees
Re: Starter Strips and converting to "natural"
« Reply #23 on: December 31, 2007, 11:30:32 am »
Thanks Cindi.

Yes i am learning lots and the more i learn the more i realize i know nothing.

Online Michael Bush

  • Universal Bee
  • *******
  • Posts: 19807
  • Gender: Male
    • bushfarms.com
Re: Starter Strips and converting to "natural"
« Reply #24 on: December 31, 2007, 12:04:09 pm »
>From what i have read people feel that 4.9-5.1 mm is "Natural Cell" size.

The term "natural cell" is usually reserved for natural drawn comb without foundation.  The term "small cell" is usually reserved for 4.9mm.

Natural cell varies from 4.4mm to 5.2mm or so.

http://www.bushfarms.com/beesnaturalcell.htm
http://www.bushfarms.com/beesfoundationless.htm
http://www.bushfarms.com/beesglossary.htm
http://www.bushfarms.com/beesterms.htm
My website:  bushfarms.com/bees.htm en espanol: bushfarms.com/es_bees.htm  auf deutsche: bushfarms.com/de_bees.htm  em portugues:  bushfarms.com/pt_bees.htm
My book:  ThePracticalBeekeeper.com
-------------------
"Everything works if you let it."--James "Big Boy" Medlin

Offline steveouk

  • House Bee
  • **
  • Posts: 206
  • Gender: Male
  • A Brit living in the USA
    • Steve's Bees
Re: Starter Strips and converting to "natural"
« Reply #25 on: December 31, 2007, 12:11:33 pm »
Thanks for clearing that up.

I was watching the video from the ( Cant post link as site wont allow me) Hass website and the speaker was saying that they found more mites in Small Cell.

Has anyone else backed this up yet. or is mite tolerance down to breeding rather than cell size ???
 

Offline Paraplegic Racehorse

  • House Bee
  • **
  • Posts: 146
  • Gender: Male
  • Kilted beekeepers unite!
    • Me Blog
Re: Starter Strips and converting to "natural"
« Reply #26 on: December 31, 2007, 03:17:07 pm »
I was watching the video from the ( Cant post link as site wont allow me) Hass website and the speaker was saying that they found more mites in Small Cell.

HAS 2007 - Small / Large cell comparison

Here's my take on their finding that small cell has:
  • More mites - statistically significant: NO
  • More bees - statistically significant: YES

This indicates, to me, that mite problems are lower in small-cell hive because the RATIO of mites-to-bees is lower and more tolerable to the bees.

Still, I would like to see this study extended AND replicated.
I'm Paraplegic Racehorse.
Member in good standing: International Discordance of Kilted Apiarists, Local #994

The World Beehive Project - I endeavor to build at least one of every beehive in common use today and document the entire process.

Offline Kirk-o

  • Queen Bee
  • ****
  • Posts: 1059
  • Gender: Male
Re: Starter Strips and converting to "natural"
« Reply #27 on: December 31, 2007, 03:18:07 pm »
Hey Steveouk
check out biologicalbeekeeping.com go to the library and read about small cell and the Lusby's you will be glad you did
kirko
"It's not about Honey it's not about Money It's about SURVIVAL" Charles Martin Simmon

Offline steveouk

  • House Bee
  • **
  • Posts: 206
  • Gender: Male
  • A Brit living in the USA
    • Steve's Bees
Re: Starter Strips and converting to "natural"
« Reply #28 on: December 31, 2007, 05:08:26 pm »
hi thanks but your links does not work, i read about them on beesource but they also do allot of culling o0f hives in their breed management.

I'm used to selective breeding from breeding pedigree dogs in the past. All that seems to do is introduce more problems into the gene stock. However re introducing feral Queens back into the gene pool that seem to be resistant to mites does seem interesting....

 

Offline misfyredOhio

  • House Bee
  • **
  • Posts: 53
  • Gender: Female
Re: Starter Strips and converting to "natural"
« Reply #29 on: January 01, 2008, 08:06:51 pm »
(from second year beekeeper) If I start a new hive this year on small cell, is it ok to start it on the 4.9 mm cells immediately? I have been reading about transitioning down but I'm assuming that's for existing hives? Also, do you know if anyone sells frames with the small cell foundation already installed? Is it hard to install foundation on empty frames?

Online Michael Bush

  • Universal Bee
  • *******
  • Posts: 19807
  • Gender: Male
    • bushfarms.com
Re: Starter Strips and converting to "natural"
« Reply #30 on: January 01, 2008, 08:33:47 pm »
>If I start a new hive this year on small cell, is it ok to start it on the 4.9 mm cells immediately?

Yes.

> I have been reading about transitioning down but I'm assuming that's for existing hives?

It may take a couple of "regressions" but if you start with a package you've already done one.

http://www.bushfarms.com/beesnaturalcell.htm#HowToRegress

> Also, do you know if anyone sells frames with the small cell foundation already installed?

Mann Lake's PF120s (medium depth) and PF100s (deep) are one piece plastic frames that are 4.95mm.

http://www.bushfarms.com/beesnaturalcell.htm#foundationtoday

> Is it hard to install foundation on empty frames?

Not hard.  But it is a skill to learn.  Wiring is helpful with wax foundation.  You can buy it wired, but those are vertical wires and it's more expensive.

http://www.beesource.com/eob/wire_embedder/

I'm fond of just starter strips or comb guides and natural comb.

http://www.bushfarms.com/beesfoundationless.htm
My website:  bushfarms.com/bees.htm en espanol: bushfarms.com/es_bees.htm  auf deutsche: bushfarms.com/de_bees.htm  em portugues:  bushfarms.com/pt_bees.htm
My book:  ThePracticalBeekeeper.com
-------------------
"Everything works if you let it."--James "Big Boy" Medlin

Offline Jerrymac

  • Galactic Bee
  • ******
  • Posts: 6047
  • Gender: Male
Re: Starter Strips and converting to "natural"
« Reply #31 on: January 01, 2008, 11:10:16 pm »
Then there is the honey super cell

http://www.honeysupercell.com/sblog/
:rainbowflower:  Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.   :rainbowflower:

 :jerry:

My pictures.Type in password;  youview
     http://photobucket.com/albums/v225/Jerry-mac/

Offline Kirk-o

  • Queen Bee
  • ****
  • Posts: 1059
  • Gender: Male
Re: Starter Strips and converting to "natural"
« Reply #32 on: January 02, 2008, 10:34:03 am »
I thought I read that honey super cell dosen't sell small lots.Only large lots like a hundred maybe more is this true
kirko
"It's not about Honey it's not about Money It's about SURVIVAL" Charles Martin Simmon

Offline Robo

  • Technical
  • Administrator
  • Galactic Bee
  • *******
  • Posts: 6778
  • Gender: Male
  • Beekeep On!
    • Bushkill Bee Vac
Re: Starter Strips and converting to "natural"
« Reply #33 on: January 02, 2008, 11:04:56 am »
I thought I read that honey super cell dosen't sell small lots.Only large lots like a hundred maybe more is this true
kirko
Permacomb stopped small quantity orders.  You can buy HSC in quantities of 20.
"Opportunity is missed by most people because it comes dressed in overalls and looks like work." - Thomas Edison



 

anything