From: RSBrenchley@aol.com
Date: Sat, 1 Sep 2001 04:32:10 EDT
To: BiologicalBeekeeping@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: Hygienic Behaviour

Peter Schmoeker writes:

> I used to work in research, and an "n" of seven was and still is considered
> an extremely low number to use in any kind of statistical experiment.
> Especially one where much more data is available.
> I would also consider the amount of variables the nitrogen method brings
> into the system...how do tiny holes compare to the freezing, cutting,
> extracting , and then replacing of cells into a hive,,,are they serious?

This is precisely what I'm wondering. When I froze a 2-inch square piece
of broodcomb and then replaced it, one hive only removed a few larvae. The
other removed about 3/4 in 48 hours, but the wax was well chewed down around the edges of the frozen piece, and most of the remaining dead larvae were towards the centre. So were they responding to the dead larvae or to the cutting? Time will tell, I'll do some more tests next year.

Regards,

Robert Brenchley,
Birmingham, UK.

RSBrenchley@aol.com