# Is it too late for small cell?



## gardenbees (May 8, 2005)

I hived my first bees a week ago with the NCSU program. They gave us two standard hive bodies with plastic foundation, standard size. I went into the hives yesterday and they have already drawn one frame and the queen has started laying in one hive but not the other as I had to release that queen manually yesterday. Is it possible to switch to the small cell at this point and just what is meant by regressing? How is the process accomplished? Thanks, Theresa.


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

Just start putting in frames with small cell foundation. I'd eventaully move the large cell comb to the sides of the brood nest and try to keep the smallest cells in the center.

The "process" is just to swap out comb in the brood nest until the center of the center frames of the brood nest are 4.9mm or smaller. But any comb smaller than 5.4mm will help with the mites.


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## gardenbees (May 8, 2005)

How much control can I expect using just drone foundation and screened bottom boards? I would like to try the small foundation but have already invested in the regular size for double brood chambers for two hives. If I decide to make the switch next year I suppose the earlier in the year the better? Theresa.


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

>How much control can I expect using just drone foundation and screened bottom boards? 

I don't think the SBB make a lot of difference, but they make a little. I've never done the drone magnet, but it's expensive for the bees to raise all those drones. It does seem to work by all accounts.


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