From: "waldig" <waldig@netzero.net>
Date: Wed, 2 Jan 2002 23:18:17 -0500
To: <BiologicalBeekeeping@yahoogroups.com>
Subject: Re: cell size measurement

>>It seems to me that the largest population of A. mellifera raised
without foundation is the African bee, A.m. scutellata. Brood cells,
if I am not mistaken, typically measure 4.7 mm. I would be
interested in the range of measurements that exists for scutellata.
This is the most reliable "Natural Cell Size" data we can hope for.

Kyle,

Barry Sergeant of South Africa (at http://www.algonet.se/~beeman/index-f.html) is working on 'domesticating' scuts. Regarding cell size he writes: 'During the selection process the bees have been upgraded in size, and now build 5,2 mm cells, like
european bees. The wild bees build cells around 4.8-4.9mm.' There are also photos of both size cells at the above address.

>>Are there any domestic bees that have been raised for a century,
without foundation?

Perhaps there are some beekeepers with TBH's (top bar hives)? Typically
they do not use removable frames and so do not use foundation. Though
it less probable that there are apiaries with such hives going back a
century.

Waldemar
Long Island, NY