View Full Version : small cell foundation
woodmann98
02-23-2009, 03:11 PM
going into my second year beek, would like to switch over to mann lakes pf 100, but i have all 5.3 cell mann lakes. can i switch over the brood boxes to small cell, and the honey have the larger cell foundation?and is it diffucult to change the brood boxes over? thanks
Sundance
02-23-2009, 04:03 PM
The 5.3mm will make fine honey frames..... Just add
a frame here and there of 4.95. They can draw some
crazy comb the first time around.
drobbins
02-23-2009, 05:38 PM
fortunately, with the PF 100's, if they mess it up you can scrape it off and let them try again:)
Dave
Allen Dick
02-23-2009, 05:59 PM
I'm curious. Is there some reason you want to change over?
Sundance
02-23-2009, 06:12 PM
I'm curious. Is there some reason you want to change over?
Do a search on "small cell" there are many threads
on this. In short it is for mite control. Others call
it "natural cell".
TodesSchatten
02-23-2009, 06:27 PM
or see Michael Bush's page on this
http://www.bushfarms.com/beesnaturalcell.htm
it convinced me to start small cell and foundationless
rw3212
02-23-2009, 06:42 PM
about how many frame would a pound of wax cover to apply a workable coat on the pf 100's.
Allen Dick
02-23-2009, 09:04 PM
It's not that I don't know about small cell. I've been to Lusbys' twice and read lots, tried some small cell with friends, and I don't know why anyone who has a perfectly good hive would want to do that without cause.
Is there something wrong with the hive in question that needs, "fixing"?
As for natural, I'm all for it, and have articles on the matter on my site at http://honeybeeworld.com/4dot9/default.htm and other pages, BUT, using foundation and movable comb is not natural.
Sorry.
beemandan
02-24-2009, 06:24 AM
In short it is for mite control. A contention that is unsupported by scientific research.
Others call it "natural cell". Two totally different things.