>I was flipping through the Dadant catalogue and saw they offer 5.1mm foundation to regress bees. In order to regress bees, do I use the 5.1 and replace all 20 frames in mt brood chambers over time?
I wouldn't. That would require a shakedown. I'd feed a frame at a time in. You can just use the 4.9mm or you can use the 5.1mm first and then the 4.9mm. The difference is the 5.1mm foundation will be a bit prettier since they won't have to cheat to get it to come out to what they will usually build, which will be 5.1mm.
> or can I replace say 50% of the frames w/ 5.1mm foundation and then begin to icorporate 4.9mm?
You CAN do a shakedown and take all the comb away from the bees. I think this is unnecessary and sets them back too much. I'd feed it in a frame at a time as the bees can handle it.
> I know its been said on this site before, but what other manufacturers offer small cell and 5.1 thats already drawn?
Small cell (4.9mm) that's already drawn is available here:
http://www.honeysupercell.com/sblog/5.1mm fully drawn would serve no real purpose if you can get 4.9mm since 4.9mm is what you need and getting them to draw it is the only hangup. You can get 5.1mm fully drawn comb (PermaComb) and then heat it and dip it in wax to get 4.95mm fully drawn comb. Here's PermaComb:
http://www.beesource.com/bee-l/bulletinboard/seets/permacomb.htm> How long should this regression process take?
If you have 4.9mm combs it's pretty much instanaeous from the beekeepers point of view. You put them on 4.9mm comb and they raise brood in it. When you have a new batch of brood that have replaced the old comb builders you have them regressed. If they have to draw their OWN comb, it takes a couple of comb turnovers and at least a couple of generations.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Organicbeekeepershttp://www.bushfarms.com/beesnaturalcell.htmhttp://www.beesource.com/pov/lusby/index.htm
Topic: Small Cell Regression (Read 1791 times)