Small cell bees

[JReece]

I just finished building my first hive and am now going through the options of what bees to get in the spring.

After reading these posts for a few months it seems that it would make sense to get small cell bees that will help resist mites.

If I were to buy a feral queen would she produce small cell workers? Or would I need to regress? Or is there a place to buy small cell bees and queens?

9 months from having bees and already I'm a wreck.

[Michael Bush]

>If I were to buy a feral queen would she produce small cell workers?

It's not necessary to buy a small cell queen to get small cell workers or to get the queen to lay in small cells. Small cells are actually just natural sized cells, so the queens happily lay in them. The problem is that the large cell bees can't draw the small cell comb until you raise a generation or two on smaller cells.

>Or would I need to regress?

That is regression. The 5.4mm bees will only draw about 5.1mm cells. The 5.1mm bees will draw something close to 4.9mm. The 4.9mm bees will draw something closer to 4.8mm if you let them.

>Or is there a place to buy small cell bees and queens?

The cheapest small cell bees are probably Buckeye Bees. I was hoping to sell some here, and may have some in the spring, but so far the pesticides and other problems have not allowed that. Bolling bee also has small cell bees.

>9 months from having bees and already I'm a wreck.

You worry too much. http://www.beesource.com/ubb/smile.gif Most of what will happen you can't control anyway. The bees are very capable.