Unleashing the Hive Chronicles - Un-regressed Wonder Bees
-Exploring colonies in various states of un-regression. Unveiling the secrets of the bee kingdom!
What unfolds when small cell, mite-tolerant colonies are re-established or, as I like to say, un-regressed on clean, large cell-sized comb?
Except for their superhero mite tolerance, no significant differences bubbled up in behavior, health, or honey production between the large and small cell bees when both had a taste of clean wax.
But here’s the buzz: the magic credited to small cell might just be the absence of pesticide contamination.
Now, let’s take a dip into the hive world. What happens when un-regressed colonies step into the spotlight of a top bar hive?
Just like any bee eager for a fresh start, they weave their magic, drawing out a broodnest with the same structure and cell size distribution as any natural bee nest. Mite tolerance skyrockets. All colonies make it out alive, but a few show some battle scars from mite skirmishes.
Now, the big reveal! What occurs when un-regressed colonies are welcomed back into the cozy embrace of small cell hives?
Drumroll, please! They emerge as mite-tolerant rockstars, thriving without the need for treatments.
Setting the Stage
A lot has been said about regression—the intricate dance of transitioning bees from large cell-sized comb to small cell-sized comb. Small cell bees had it going on:
- They were healthier.
- Overwintering? A walk in the park for them.
- Spring build-up? They were the sprinters.
- Mite tolerance? They owned it.
But let’s face it, regression is no easy feat. Following the Lusby method, most hives surrender to varroa before fully embracing the small cell magic.
In my beekeeping journey, after regressing my own bees, I pondered a more efficient approach. Fast forward to 2002—I made the switch. Small cell hives danced their way to clean, large cell hives:
- A box of pristine, large cell comb slid between two petite small cell brood boxes.
- In half a season, all small cell comb was gracefully rotated up and out.
The result? Hives flaunting three deep boxes of clean, large cell comb, laying the groundwork for intriguing observations.
One standout large cell hive claimed its place in the backyard. The others? Well, they stayed put, rubbing antennae with the small cell hives a dozen miles away.
Unveiling the Buzz
Small vs. Large Cell Bee Size
The grand revelation: bee size didn’t waltz in tune with cell size. Bee sizes in large and small cell hives pirouetted with the seasons. The bee ballet made it impossible to pinpoint which hives flaunted large or small cell comb just by eyeing bee size. So, I grabbed my camera, took a few snapshots, and took out the measuring tape. The results of this experiment dared to defy the bee size versus cell size narrative in the regression literature. Turns out, the season choreographs the bee size more than the cell size they call home.
Overwintering Extravaganza
All hives were decked out in their winter best. Spotting the difference between the two groups? Like finding a needle in a hive stack. They:
- Rocked large clusters, grooving in the middle box.
- Claimed around eight frames with the cluster in the lower box.
- Emerged from winter unscathed and thriving.
Since ushering these bees onto clean wax, not a single overwintering loss graced my hive haven. No:
- Wimpy colonies.
- or lifeless hives.
Spring Buildup Drama
Small cell bees had a reputation for springing into action, building up at lightning speed. Surprisingly, the un-regressed large cell hives matched this rhythm, pacing side by side with the small cell wonders. Pesticide-contaminated wax in the treated large cell hives seemed to be the culprit for the lackluster spring build-up, not the cell size.
These bees flexed their muscles, demanding splits to curb their swarming enthusiasm. A bee surplus, rather than an equipment surplus, was the new normal.
Disease Chronicles
Since welcoming a variety of bees to the clean wax haven, disease problems became a relic of the past after the initial regression season. No foulbrood, chalkbrood, or any other unwanted guests crashed the hive party. It seems like clean comb and healthy bees form an unbeatable shield against common bee diseases.
Honey Production Symphony
While honey production danced to its own tune across hives, no noticeable differences surfaced between the different cell size groups.
Despite a decade-long drought casting its shadow, these hives outperformed themselves, producing more than double the average for the region. The stellar health, resilient overwintering, and speedy spring build-up probably helped offset the drought’s sting.
Before the bees had a taste of clean wax, production hovered slightly above average.
Comb Orientation Ballet
The small cell hive frames flaunted their marked and Housel-positioned swagger. After regressing, when surviving small cell hives were a bit wobbly, I believed Housel positioning played ringmaster, keeping the small clusters center stage. Re-centering smaller clusters was a common spring routine with treated bees.
No attempts were made to orchestrate comb orientation in the un-regressed large cell hives. The natural comb in the top bar hives didn’t adhere to such choreography.
The clusters were robust and healthy in these test hives. Spotting a difference in centering, swarming, temperament, or anything else based on comb orientation? Nada.
Mite Tolerance Chronicles
During the small cell regression, bees detected and evicted mite-infested pupa, dealing blows to varroa mites by sinking their mandibles in. Whole patches of brood underwent this cleansing ritual, mainly in spring and fall. After that inaugural regression season, all small cell colonies showed off their varroa tolerance badges without treatments.
When the broodnest boasted small cell comb, different bee races maintained an average natural mite fall of 1 to 3 mites/week. No significant seasonal mite buildup tickled the small cell hives.
But oh, the varroa mite saga in the un-regressed hives:
- No mite cleansing or mite biting glimmered in the mite tray debris.
- Mite damage to the bees was apparent by mid-summer.
- One hive flaunted PMS symptoms at the season’s end, requiring a mite intervention to survive.
- By the middle of the second season, all large cell un-regressed hives, backyard royalty included, yearned for mite treatments to ride out the storm.
- Oxalic acid played the savior.
When it comes to varroa mite tolerance, cell size emerges as the hero. The bees that once flaunted mite tolerance on small cell comb lost their superhero status when un-regressed on large cell comb.
Tracheal mites? Not a hitch in my beekeeping journey since 1999, so I’ve got no tales to spin about them.
Un-regressed Bees in a Top Bar Hive
Post-test, some un-regressed colonies got cozy in top bar hives, following in the small cell bee footsteps of yesteryear. These bees constructed a broodnest structure mirroring the natural comb dance I’d seen before.
Mite tolerance soared. A few hives sported mite battle scars, but survival was their victory dance, sans treatments.
Un-regressed Bees Back Into Small Cell Hives
The remaining un-regressed colonies returned to the comforting embrace of small cell comb hives. They reunited with their small cell roots.
The anticipated mite invasion played hooky, thanks to treatments steering clear of contamination. Small cell combs were already in place. Prosperity bloomed without treatments or a hint of visible mite damage.
Seeking the Sweet Spot
This was no ordinary test; it was a hive saga, a tale with a simple parameter: survive or meet the buzzworthy demise.
The results were as clear as honey:
- Every large cell hive needed a treatment lifeline to survive. Without it, curtains.
- Mite tolerance put on a show in the natural comb top bar hives. Some scars, but all survivors.
- Small cell hives? Thriving without treatments.
In a world where data and statistics reign supreme, sometimes survival speaks louder than numbers. After all, have you seen the data and statistics for using a smoker?
-Beeing a Hive Whisperer, D 🌼🍯
