WarrTreeHiveWarrBaumbeute

Copyright(C)2008BernhardHeuvel

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EinleitungWarumdieWarrBaumbeute?!

NachderLektrevonIanRumsey'sTextenzurZellundBrutnestorientierung(sieheTexteimAnhang),sowiederenAuswirkungenaufdieVarroa,wollteichdessenErkenntnisseindieWarrbeuteeinfliessenlassen.NachmeinenVerstndnisderTextevonIanRumseylassensichdieErkenntnissewiefolgtzusammenfassen.DieAusrichtungundFormdesBrutnesteshatAuswirkungenaufdieVermehrungderVarroamilbe.DieMilbeschlpftvoneinerZellezurnchsten.DerWegdurchdasBrutnestistineinerKugelformfrdieMilbeamkrzesten.SokannsiesichrelativschnellvoneinemEndedesBrutnesteszumanderenausbreiten,ohneinGefahrzulaufen,vondenBienenentdecktundgettetzuwerden.DiefrdieMilbeungnstigsteBrutnestformistdielanggestreckteFormdesBrutnestes.HiermussdieMilbedenweitestenWegzurcklegen,umsichimgesamtenBrutnestauszubreiten.DerverlngerteWegvergrertauchdieGefahr,dassdieBienendieMilbenaufdiesemlangenWegentdeckenundtten.AuerdemverndertsichdieWahrnehmungderMilbe,wasdieVerfgbarkeitundGredesBrutnestesbetrifft.

DieZellorientierunghingegenverschlechtert die Vermehrungschancender Milbein denZellen,weilderRaumberhalbderBienenmadeverengtistundzumZerdrckenderMilbedurchdieMadefhrenkann.

FreineAusfhrungderobengenanntenErkenntnissebitteich,dieimAnhangbefindlichenTextevonRumseyimOriginalzulesen.

BeideErkenntnissesindjedochinteressantgenug,umhiereinenVersuchzustartenundeineBeuteaufGrundlagederWarrbeutezuentwickeln,diediesenErkenntnissengerechtwird.

Wichtig:DieseBeuteistgeradeerstausgedachtunderbautworden.BezglichderFunktionalittundPraktikabilittisteszurZeitnichtmglich,eineAussagezutreffen.Esistmglich,dasssichdieseBeutealsFloperweist.EsisteinExperiment.

IntroductionwhyaWarrTreeHive?

AfterreadingIanRumsey'stextsaboutthecellorientationandnaturalwaysofimproving varroacontainment(seeappendage)theideawasborntocombinetheconclusionsofRumseywiththe

Warrhiveforfurtherstudyingandobservation.AtthisstagebuildingthehiveisanexperimenttoverifyRumsey'sobservationsandhypothesises.Pleasebeawareoftheexperimentalstatus.

WirddieWarrbeutedenvonIanRumseyaufgestelltenAnforderungengerecht?!

DerHauptsatzvonIanRumseylautet:Atallthinhiveisthereforebetterthanashortfathive.bersetzt:Einehohe,schmaleBeuteistdaherbesseralseineniedrigeundbreiteBeute.

DieWarrbeuteistansichvertikalaufgebaut.DieHhederBeuteistgreralsdieBreite.DerInnenraumeinerWarrbeutemitdreiZargenistinetwa90Zentimeterhochund30cmbreit.DasbesondereMaderWarrbeutejedochveranlasstdieBienendieWabennichtdurchgngigvonobennachuntenzuziehen.SomitsinddieeinzelnenWaben30cmbreitund1920cmhoch.HieristalsodieHhegeringeralsdieBreite.DasuertsichauchinderAusrichtungderZellen,diesehrunterschiedlichausfllt. Es gibt Zellen des Spitzedes Sechsecks nachoben, schrgnach links oderrechts,oderwaagrechtliegen.NachIanRumseywerdenineinerechtenvertikalenBehausungberwiegendZellengebaut,derenSpitzendesSechsecksliegend/horizontalausgerichtetsind.DasistallenAnscheinnachineinerWarrbeutenochnichtderFall.

DerClouderWarrbeuteist,dassdieZargensichohneDrahttrennenlassen,dadieBienendurchdasbestimmteVerhltnisvonBreiteundHhe(30cmBreitezu20cmHhe)dazuangeleitetsind.DiesermglichtdemImkerdiekomfortableImkereimitStabilbauohnedieMatscherei,diesonstmitStabilbauderFallist.BeiderAnpassungderWarrbeuteandieAnforderungenvonRumsey,solldieserVorteilerhaltenbleiben.DaherwardieIdeenichtfern,dassVerhltnisbeizubehaltenundnurdieMaevonHheundBreitezuvertauschen.SomiterhltmaneineZarge,die30cmhochund20cmbreitist.SowohldieBeutealsGanzes,alsauchdieeinzelneZargeistsomitvertikalausgerichtet.ZieldesExperimentesist,herauszufinden,ob...

a.)...dasbeibehalteneSeitenverhltnisbeiVertauschungderMaevonHheundBreitezumgleichenErgebnisfhren,nmlichdieTeilbarkeitderZargenohneVerwendungvonDraht

b.)...dieOrientierungderSechseckedurchgngiginallenZargenhorizontalist.AlsodieSpitzendesSechseckesnachlinksundrechtszeigen.UndsomitdieThesevonRumseyuntersttzen,dassvertikalehoheHhlungenimmerzueinersolchenZellorientierungfhren

c.)...obdieVlkermitderPositionundFormdesBrutnestes,sowiederAusrichtungderZellenwenigerSchwierigkeitenmitderVarroahaben

DoestheWarrhivefulfillIanRumsey'srequirementsforagoodhive?!

ThemainthesisofIanRumseyis:Atallthinhiveisthereforebetterthanashortfathive.

TheWarrhiveisaverticalhive(itiscalledaverticaltopbarhiveforthisreasonaswell).Theorientationofthehiveitselfisthusvertical.Butthecombinsidethehiveboxisnotvertical.Thecombisbroaderthantall.Thismakesahorizontalcombinsideaverticalhive.InWarrhivesallorientationofcellscanbefound.Inarealverticalhive,thereshouldbehorizontalcellorientationmainly.ThusthehivehastobemodifiedtofulfilltherequirementsofIanRumsey.

OneofthemainadvantagesoftheWarrhiveis,thatthebeekeepercanliftthehiveboxoff,withouttheneedtouseacutwire.Thisismuchlessmessyandenableseasyfixedcombbeekeeping.Thatthebeesdon'tinterconnectthehiveboxesisduetothespecialmeasurementsandratioofheightandwidthofthehivebox.

Toretaintheeasinessofliftingoffthehivebox,Itrytoswapthemeasurementsofheightandwidth,butkeeptherationoftheboth.Iuse30cm(11.81inch)fortheheightnowand20cm(7,87inch)forthewidth.

Thiswaythewholehiveisverticalaswellasthecombinsidethehivebox.Theexperimentshallverifythat...

a.)...theswappingofthemeasurementsofheightandwidthbutretainingtheratiowillendinmovablehiveboxes.Thustheratioisthereasonfornotconnecting(GoldenCut,Fibanoccietc.)

b.)...orientationofcombinatrueverticalhiveishorizontalmostofthetimes.Thetipsorsharpedgesofthehexagonshallshowtotheleftandright.

c.)...theeffectivenessofthebroodnestformandorientation,aswellascellorientationwhenitcomestovarroacontainment.

DieAnpassungderWarrbeute/ModifyingtheWarrhive

DiefolgendenBilderzeigen,wieichdieAnpassungenvorgenommenhabe.ThefollowingpicturesshowhowImodifiedthehive.

WeildieHhederZargengreralsdieBreiteist,warvonAnfanganklar,dassdieBeutesehrinstabilstehenwird.DaherhabeichdirekteinRckgratgebaut,andemdieBeuteangelehntoderfestgebundenwird.DiesesRckgratbestehtauszweiDachlatten.

Becausethehiveboxistallerthanwide,itwasapparentfromthebeginning,thatsomesortofsupportwasneeded.SoIconstructedsomesortofaspineboard,whichlatersupportsthehive.

Abbildung1:RckgratderBeute/spineboardforthehive

DenBodenderBeutebefestigteichdirektandemRckgratderBeute,damitdieZargeneinengutenStandhaben.DieKonstruktiondesUnterbaushabeichjedochzukompliziertvorgenommen,hieristeineeinfachereVersionzuempfehlen,alsdasDreieck.

ThehivefloorIfixedatthespineboard,becausethiswaythehiveboxeshaveagoodstand.Thetriangularconstructionistoodifficult,thiscanandshouldbesolvedmoreeasily.

Abbildung2:Boden/floor

UmdieZargenherzustellenhabeichvierBretterversetztaufeinandergenagelt.SoerhielticheinelangeRhre,dieichanschlieendindieeinzelnenZargenzersgte.

TobuildthehiveboxesIusedfourwoodenboardsnailedontoeachother.ThiswayIgotalongwoodenpipe.Iusedasawtocutthepipeintoseveralhiveboxes.

Abbildung3:HerstellungderZargen/buildofthehiveboxes

Abbildung4:HlzerneRhre/woodenpipe

Dazuhabeichjeweils30cmabgemessenunddieZargenvonderhlzernenRhreabgesgt.

Imeasured30cm/11.81inchandcutthehiveboxesofthewoodenpipe.

Abbildung5:AbsgenderZargenstcke/cuttingthepipeintohiveboxes

Abbildung6:Zargen/hiveboxes

Dasistdefinitivhochundschmal!

Thisisdefinitelytallandthin!

Abbildung7:Zargenaufeinandergestellt/stackedhiveboxes

DieBeuteinderGesamtansichtundmiteinemeinfachenDachversehen.

Overviewofthehivewithasimpleroofontop.

Abbildung8:BeutemitDach/hivewithroof

DasKissenderWarrbeutehabeichauseinemStckderhlzernenRhrerealisiert. EswirdmitHeugeflltwerden.BeidemDachhabeicheineeinfachereVersiongewhlt.DurchdieSeitenwirdeinSpanngurtgefhrt,sodassdasDachmitsamtderBeutefixiertwerdenkann.

ThequiltImadeofashorterhivebox,closedwithalidandasimpleroof.ThroughthesidesIpushalashingstrapthatfixatesbothhiveandroof.

Abbildung9:DachimDetail/detailofroof

ZweiPfostenhabeicheingegrabenundeingeschlagen,diespterdasRckgrathaltensollenundsomiteinefreistehendeBeuteermglichensollen.UntenhabeichzweiZiegelsteineverwendetundeinenangenageltenQuerbalken,aufdendasGestell/Rckgratzustehenkommt.

Iusedtwoduggedandrammedinpoleswhichlaterholdthespineboard.Twobricksandapieceoftimberareusedasabasethespinewillplacedonto.Thetimberisnailedtothepoles.

Abbildung10:PfostenalsStnder/polesasrack

DasRckgratoderdenRahmenderBeutenagelteichdannandiePfosten.IchhabedasHolzmitFeuerangekohlt,damitesnichtrottet.Daheristesjetztschwarz.

Thespineboardwasnailedinplace.Iusedablowtorchtoburnthewoodtomakeitresistantsoitdoesn'tgetrottentofast.Thisiswhyitisblack.

Abbildung11:RckgratandenPfostenbefestigt/spineboardinplace

DieBeuteistaufgestellt.DievomWetterstarkbeanspruchtenTeile(BodenundDach)wurdenmiteinerbienenfreundlichenFarbeangestrichen.Schner,trockenerundwindstillerStandplatzunterBumen.

Thecompletedhive.Theroofandfloorwhicharestressedmostgotabeefriendlypainting.Thelashingstrapisinplace.Calm,dryandshadyspotbelowtrees.

Abbildung12:AufgestellteBeute/hiveinplace

DieBeuteistaufgestelltundwartetnungeduldigaufdieBewohner.WahrscheinlichwirdsieerstimJahr2009miteinemSchwarmbesiedelt.IchhabedieZargenvonobennachuntendurchnummeriert,damitichdiezueinandergehrendenZargenbesserzusammenstellenkann.Aufgrunddessen,dassichvonHandsge,sinddieSchnittkantensehrindividuell(sprichschief).

Thehiveisnowinplaceandawaitsthebeestocome.Mostprobablythebeeswillmoveinbyaswarmin2009.Inumberedthehiveboxes,soIcanreassemblethehiveintheproperorder,whichisnecessarybecauseofthecuttingbyhand.Whichinturnproducesasymmetricedges.

Daswaresbisjetzt.DasExperimentkannbeginnen./That'sallfornow.Lettheexperimentstart.

BernhardHeuvelbernhardundee@online.de

Abbildung14:DetaildesBodens/detailoffloor Abbildung13:DetailDach/detailofroof

Abbildungsverzeichnis/IndexofpicturesshownAbbildung1:RckgratderBeute/spineboardforthehive................................................................4Abbildung2:Boden/floor..................................................................................................................5Abbildung3:HerstellungderZargen/buildofthehiveboxes............................................................6Abbildung4:HlzerneRhre/woodenpipe.......................................................................................6Abbildung5:AbsgenderZargenstcke/cuttingthepipeintohiveboxes.........................................7Abbildung6:Zargen/hiveboxes.........................................................................................................7Abbildung7:Zargenaufeinandergestellt/stackedhiveboxes...........................................................8Abbildung8:BeutemitDach/hivewithroof.....................................................................................9Abbildung9:DachimDetail/detailofroof......................................................................................10Abbildung10:PfostenalsStnder/polesasrack..............................................................................11Abbildung11:RckgratandenPfostenbefestigt/spineboardinplace............................................12Abbildung12:AufgestellteBeute/hiveinplace...............................................................................13Abbildung13:DetailDach/detailofroof.........................................................................................14Abbildung14:DetaildesBodens/detailoffloor..............................................................................14

Inhaltsverzeichnis/IndexofContentWarrTreeHiveWarrBaumbeute...................................................................................................1

EinleitungWarumdieWarrBaumbeute?!..................................................................................1IntroductionwhyaWarrTreeHive?...........................................................................................1WirddieWarrbeutedenvonIanRumseyaufgestelltenAnforderungengerecht?!........................2DoestheWarrhivefulfillIanRumsey'srequirementsforagoodhive?!......................................2DieAnpassungderWarrbeute/ModifyingtheWarrhive...........................................................4Anhang/Appendage.......................................................................................................................16

INVESTIGATIONINTONATURALCOMB.........................................................................16NATURALWAYSOFIMPROVINGVARROACONTAINMENT........................................22

Anhang/Appendage

INVESTIGATIONINTONATURALCOMB

HorizontalandVerticalComb

Horizontal comb is said to occur when the apex of the hexagon cell is at the top.Verticalcombhastheapexofthehexagonatthesideandisinfacthorizontalcombrotatedthrough90degrees.

Theshapeofthehexagonenablesittowithstandexternallyappliedtensionsandpressuresincontrastingdegree,dependentupontheorientationoftheapex.

Fromthediagrambelowitmaybeseenthattensionappliedverticallyandpressureappliedhorizontallywouldflattenandelongatehorizontalcomb.

Howeverareversalofthesetensionsandpressureswouldpermitthehexagontomorereadilyretainitsshape.

Thisisduetothehorizontalzigzagcomponentofthehexagonmatrixbeingrestrictedregardingstretchingandflatteningastheverticaltiespreventtheparallelzigzagcomponentsmovingapartinanoppositedirection.

Astateofequilibriumisobtainedandthehexagonshapeismaintained.

Itisclearthereforethattoavoidcelldistortioninnaturalcombthehexagoncellsmustbeorientatedinsuchawayastowithstandtheinternaltensionexertedwithinthebroodnestarea.

IanRumsey

CellOrientation

Tounderstandthefinerpointsconcerningnaturalcombconstruction,letusconsultthemasterofthisart,thedesignerofthestructure,themanufactureroftheactualmaterial,namelythebee,andalsocomparetheirknowledgeandabilitywithourownmechanicaltheory.Twodifferenttypesofmindmayobtainthesamesolution.

Thebroodnestareaisencircledwithstoreswhichsupplythecircumferencewitharigidframework.Theshapeofthebroodnest,withourtheory,shoulddecreethedistortionalstressesandinconsequencethecellorientation.

Letustakearope,suspendedsaybetweentwopoles30feetapart.Itwouldformacatenary,andthetightertheropethemoreshallowthecatenarywouldbecome.Theropewouldbeundertensioninthehorizontalplainandthereisnoneedforanyintermediateverticalsupporttoaidsuspension.Wewillnowenvisagetheropeasanarrangementofhexagoncells,andtowithstandsuchtension,thehexagonwouldrequiretobeorientatedwiththeapexatthetop.Itwouldfollowthatwherethebroodnestwasmuchwiderthanitisdeepasimilarorientationwouldberequiredtoavoiddistorti

on.Thebeesunderstandthisandbuildhorizontalcombaccordingly.

Ropesmaybesuspendeddownwells,herethetensionintheropewouldbeverticalandhexagoncellsrepresentingtheropewouldrequiretheapextobeatthesidetonowwithstandtheverticaltension.Uponthisexamplebeesbuildingnaturalcombintallnarrowcavitieswouldexperienceverticaltensionandbeexpectedtoproduceverticalcomb.Theycomply.

MayIsuggestthatbeesappreciatedthemechanicsofhexagonstructuresbeforewecouldcounttoten.Waxfoundation,beingproducedashorizontalcomb,preventsverticalcombbeingpresentwithinthehive,whereasnaturalcombinferalcoloniesveryoftenproducesbroodnestscomprisingofverticalcomb.Feralcoloniesappeartosurviveinareasofvarroainfestation;coloniescontainingverticalcomb.Perhapsconsiderationshouldnowbegivenastowhetherverticalcombmaybedetrimentaltovarroareproduction.

VarroaandCellOrientation

Thepresenceofverticalcombinthebroodnestofaferalcolonyisquitecommonplace.Thequestionthereforearisesastowhetherthistypeofcombisinsomewaydetrimentaltovarroareproduction.Itisgeneralknowledgethatthemitewhenenteringthecellpriortocapping,hidesbehindthelarvawhichiscurledupatthefarendofthecell.Itisalsoacceptedthatifavisitingnursebeeobservesthe mite in the cell prior to hiding behind the larva, the bee will remove the varroa.Thisisaperiodofdangerforthevarroa.

AlthoughthevarroaisdeemedtohavesomeaquaticabilityregardingbeemilkIfeelthattheattempttopassbetweenthelarvaandthecellwallwouldbemadewheretheconditionswerethemostfavourable,namelywhereitisdryandthepressureisleast.Thepressurebetweenthelarvaandthecellwallisgreatestatthebottomofthecellduetogravityandtheweightofthelarva.Thepressureisleastatthetop.

Withhorizontalcomb,withtheapexatthetop,asmalltriangularspaceoccursabovethelarvaandthe mite therefore may gain easy access. The conditions are also dry.Whereverticalcombispresentandtheflatportionofthehexagonisuppermostthiseaseofaccessisnolongeravailable.Diagramrefers.

Thelongerthetimethatthevarroatakestohideitself,thegreaterthelikelihoodbecomesofanursebeeinspectingthecellandremovingthemite.

Experimentsarecurrentlybeingundertakentotestthistheoryastowhethercellinfestationislesswhenverticalcombispresent.

Itisinterestingtonotethatthepressurebetweenthecellwallandthelarvamayalsobeincreased,andnodoubtcauseasimilareffect,bydecreasingthesizeofthecell,orbyintroducingaqueenmated,orbredfrom,aslightlylargerstrain.

Intheinsectworldtherearenumerousinstanceswheretheparasiteisawareofitshost'slocation,whichwithonlyoursenses,wouldappearimpossible.

J.H.Fabrehasbeenconsultedandisofthesameopinion.

Aparasitewishingtolayitseggadjacenttoitshost'slarvaachievesitspurposebecauseitcandetectthe location, age and health of the larva through the equivalent of a brick wall.The senses the parasite uses are beyond our comprehension or even acknowledgement.Althoughvarroaarenotinsects,thereisnoreasonwhytheyshouldnotalsohavethisparasiticcapability.

Varroadonotjustturnuppriortocappingbypurechance,andwiththisabilitytheywouldbeawareoftheposition,ageandhealthofeverylarvainthehive,andcouldmaptheircourseaccordingly.Ifthiswerethecase,regularmanipulationofbroodframes,wheretheframesarereshuffledratherthanreplacedintheirformerposition,wouldconfusebothbeesandvarroawhichwouldbedetrimentaltothevarroaregardingnestsitelocation.

Theconfusiontothebeeisdifficulttoquantify,but'chewingout'maybeasignthatthebeesarenothappy with the new brood nest shape and are rearranging matters more to their liking. Whetherthepenetrationofthisspecialawarenessiseffectedbythepresenceofmetal,suchasasheetofqueenexcluder,isopentofurtherspeculation.Infactqueenexcludermayalreadyplayanimportantrollinvarroareproductionintwoways.

(1)Varroabredindronecellsthatremainonthedronesafteremergencefromthecellwillberetainedinthebroodnestareaduetothequeenexcluder.

(2)Thequeenexcluderwouldactasasafetynetforgroomedvarroaformallyattachedtoworkerbeesoperatingintheupperpartofthehive.

Notonlymayvarroahavethisspecialawarenessofthebee,thebeemayalsohaveaspecialawarenessofthevarroa.

Itisdarkwithinthecell,sothebee'srecognitionofthevarroawillnotbeocular,butbythisspecialawarenessthatcanidentifyotherlifeformsthroughinterveningmaterial.However,thisawarenessapparentlywillnotpenetratethroughthelifeformofthelarva,andinconsequencethelifeformofthevarroaremainsundetected.

Itisalsoequallypossiblethatthevarroaknowsthatitwillbeseenbythebeeunlessithidesitslifeformbehindthelifeformofthelarva.Thevarroaisawareofthebee'sawareness,butareweaware

ofthevarroa'sawareness;Ithinknot.

CombBetwixtBetween

Beesbeingbees,andnaturebeingnature,therealsooccursnaturalcombwhichisavariationbetweenthehorizontalandverticalarrangement.

Aspreviouslyexplained,verticalcombisjusthorizontalcombturnedthrough90degrees,butinactualfactduetothehexagonshape,therotationneedonlybe30degreestoachievethesameresult.Ifonetookthisrotationatonedegreeatatimetherewouldbeafurther29variationsofcomborientationbetweenhorizontalandverticalcomb.

Thisthirdtypeofcombclearlyexists,itoccursquiteregularly,andappearstotheeyeashorizontalcombwithadownwardslope.

Ifourtheoryregardingdistortionalstresseswithinthebroodnestisvalid,thenapplicationofthistheoryshouldprovideareasonfortheexistenceofthiscombwhichisbetwixtbetween.Diagramrefers.

Considerabroodnestthatisnotcentrallyplacedwithinthecombandisaltogetherovertooneside,to the extent that one side of the broodnest directly abuts the frame or cavity wall.Therearenocellscontainingsealedstoresonthisside,therigidframeworksurroundingthebroodnesthasbeenbroken.Thestressesnowinsidethisareaareneithertotallyverticalorhorizontalbutsomewhereinbetween.

Tocompensateforthis,beesreorientatedtheircellconstructiontothealignmentofthereviseddirectionoftension.Diagramrefers.

So,whyshouldbeesbuildabroodnestnotcentrallyplacedwithinthecombbutovertooneside?MayIsuggesttemperaturevariation.Whencombisplacedsothatatemperaturegradientoccursacrossitssurface,thebroodnestmaywellbepositionedtowardsthewarmestedge.Thistheoryiseasilyprovedbyobservingthepresenceofcombwithsuchaslopeandnotingwhethertheslopeisdowntowardthewarmerpositionwithinthehive,andthatthebroodnestisinfactoffsetalsointhisdirection.

Evenwiththesestructuralvariationsbeingavailable,thequeencannotaffordtolayhereggsintotaldisregardtotheloadingofthebroodnestarea. Anexampleofthequeen'sbalancedmethodofbroodexpansionmaybeseeninHerrodHempsall'sbook'BeekeepingNewandOld'pages429/430which includes 17 photographs clearly showing this careful management.Asonemightexpectwiththesestructuralconsiderationsinmind,thelargerandheavierdronecellsareplacedalongtheundersideofthebroodnestareathusagainminimizingpossiblecelldistortion.Hastherebeenalotofthoughtputintothemanufactureofferalcolonycombwhichtakesallthesefactorsintoconsideration?

Is this thought undertaken prior to actual commencement of comb construction? Doesthecombconstructionreflecttheuniqueenvironmentalconditionsforeachferalcolony?andbecomeapermanentrecordofjointinformationthathasbeencollectedandacteduponbyagroupofindividuals?

Theevidenceisthere,unbelievable,orunacceptable,asitmaybe.

ThefinalchapterofT.W.CowensbookTheHoneyBeeisentitledWaxandCombConstructionwhichisconcludedbyaquotationbyLordBrougham.ThesecondsentenceofthisquotationreadsNotastepcanwetakeinanydirectionwithoutperceivingthemostextraordinarytracesofdesign.ThisIfeelincludestheconstructionofnaturalcomb.

IanRumsey

NATURALWAYSOFIMPROVINGVARROACONTAINMENT

THEIMPORTANCEOFTHESHAPEANDTHEPOSITIONOFTHEBROODNEST

Thebroodnestofacolony,whencontainedbyqueenexcluder,andhousedinaconventionalhive,willbeovalinshapewiththemajoraxishorizontal.

Feralcolonieshoweverbuildnaturalcombtothelimitsofthecavitytheyhavechosenfortheirhome.Thecombshape,andinconsequencethebroodnestshape,willvaryconsiderablyfromthatimposeduponthembybeekeepers,andinsomecases,inaferalcolony,thebroodnestmaybefoundtobeoval,butwiththemajoraxisvertical.

Thisatfirstglancewouldnotsuggestasituationthatwasdetrimentaltothereproductionofvarroa,butletusconsiderthematterfurther.

Itisanacceptedfactthatbeeswillgroomvarroatosomedegree,althoughtheapparenteffectivenessofthisabilityisdependentuponthepositionoftheentrancerelativetothefloor,thetypeoffloorinuse,andthespaceavailablebeneaththeundersideofthecomb.

Thedegreeofgroomingexperiencedbyvarroaisproportionaltothedistancetheytravelawayfromfuturesuitablenestsitesbeforetheirdesiretorecommencereproductionoccurs.

Anyincreasethereforeinthisdistancewouldbeofbenefittothebeeandofdetrimenttothevarroa.

Suchincreasemaybeaccomplishedinthreeways(1).Bythechangeofbroodnestshapefromcirculartooval.(2).Bytheorientationoftheovalbroodnestfrommajoraxishorizontaltomajoraxisvertical.(3).Bypositioningoftheverticalovalbroodnestinsuchawayastomaximizethedistancebet

weenstoragecombandthebroodcomb.

THESHAPEOFTHEBROODNEST

Letusfirstconsiderafishinasquarepond2ftby2ft providingasurfaceareaof4squareft.Ourfishlikeseatingfliesandtosatisfythisnaturaldemandwewillallowoneflytolandrandomlysomewhereonthesurface.Thefurthestdistancethefishandflycanbeapartiswhentheyareindiagonallyoppositecorners.

Thefishunderstandsthisandpositionsitselfinthecentreofthepond,sothemostitmustnowtravelis1.414ft.

We will now place our fish into a pond 4 ft by 1 ft thus retaining the same surface area.Thedistancesnowtravelledbythefishtocatchhisflyhaveincreased.Evenwhenhestationshimselfinthemiddleofthepondhemaybeasmuchas2.06ftawayfromtheunsuspectingfly,anincreaseof46percent.

Apond8ftlongandonly6incheswideincreasesthisdistanceby183percentwhichisquiteanadvantagetothefly.

Clearlythelongerandnarrowerthepondbecomesthegreaterthedistancesthefishmayhavetoswimtoobtainhisfly.

Returningtobeekeeping,wewillnowconsideracircularbroodnestwithoneworkercellwaitingtobecapped.Onevarroaisintroduced,placedrandomlywithinthisarea.Thedistancebetweenthecellandthevarroamaybeasgreatasthediameterofthecircle,ormuchless.

Letusnowcomparethiswithanovalbroodnestofthesameareabut4timeslongerthanitiswide.Likethefishinaretangularpond,thevarroawillfindthatthemaximumtravellingdistancehasincreasedtogetherwiththepossibilityofbeinggroomed.

Itisthereforeillustratedthatvarroamaymorereadilyinfestaworkerbroodcellsituatedinabroodnestthatiscircular,ratherthanonewhichisofovalconstruction.

BROODNESTORIENTATION

Letusnowconsidertheorientationoftheovalbroodnest.WewillassumethattheeightsquaresinFig1representaframeofcombinthebroodnestandFig2isthesameframerotatedthrough90degrees.InFig1thedistancesfromthecentreofeachsquaretopointAaremeasuredandcomparedwithsimilarmeasurementstakentopointBinFig2.ItwillbefoundthatthedistancestopointBare40percentgreaterthanthosemeasuredtopointA.

This40percentfigureapplieswhentherectangleistwiceaslongasitisdeep.Whentherectangleisthreetimeslongerthanitisdeepandsimilarmeasurementsaretakenthispercentageincreasesto60.

Wherethebeesareevenlydistributedthroughoutthebroodareaandthevarroaareevenlydistributedamongstthebees,itwouldbereasonabletosuggestthatabroodframewhichistwiceaslongthanitisdeep,whenrotatedthrough90degrees,wouldenhancethedistancesvarroarequiretotraveltoreachdronebroodwhentheyarelocatedatthebottomoftheframe.

Theincreaseddistanceof40percentlengthensthetimethevarroaisliabletobegroomedwhichwouldincreasethevarroadropaccordingly.

Thisbenefitmaybefurtherenhancedto60percentbyincreasingthedepth/lengthratiofrom21to

31.Anovalbroodnestthereforewhenorientatedwiththemajoraxisverticalwouldagainbeofadvantagetothebee.

HIVESHAPE

Finallyletusconsidertheshapeofanactualhivewhichconsistsofabroodbox2ftx2ftand1ftdeep,asuperalso2ftx2ftand1ftdeep,withqueenexcluderinbetween.

Wewillassumethatthebeesareevenlydistributedthroughoutthehiveandthatthephoreticmitesareevenlydistributedamongstthebees.Underthesecircumstancesthecentreofthebroodnestmaybetakentobehalfwayupthebroodbox,6inchesabovethefloorlevel.Thecentreofthemassofbeesmaybetakenas1ftabovefloorlevel.Thedistancebetweenthesetwomassesis6inchesandisindicativeoftheaveragedistancebetweenthephoreticmitesandthebroodnest.

Keepingthehivecapacitythesame,letusnowenvisageabroodbox1ftx1ftand4ftdeepwithasuperalso1ftx1ftand4ftdeep,positionedontop,againwithqueenexcluderinbetween.Thedistancebetweenthecentreofthebroodnestandthecentreofthemassofbeeshasnowincreasedfrom6inchesto2ft.Thetravellingdistanceofthemitestopossiblenestsiteshasincreasedby400percent,againtothedetrimentofthevarroa.

Atallthinhiveisthereforebetterthanashortfathive.

Sotosummarize.Theshapeofthehiveincreasesvarroatravellingdistancesandinconsequenceincreasesgroomingopportunitiesinthreeways.

(1) Provisionofanovalbroodnestinsteadofcircular.(2) Orientationoftheovalbroodnestsothatthemajoraxisisvertical.(3) Provisionofatallnarrowvolumeforcolonyoccupation.

Theremaybeinfactafourthandevenafifthadvantage.

Ifvarroahaveasenseofawarenessofthelocationofsuitablenestsites,thisawarenessmusthavesomelimitingrangeandafallingoffofaccuracyatitsupperlimit,sothedistancebetweenhostandparasiteisofimportance.

Alsoviewingsuitablenestsitesendontotheovalbroodnestwouldresultinasmallersurfaceareabeingscannedwhichwouldreducetheattractionandincreasemultiplemitecellinfestationasitwouldappear,tothemites,thatfewercellswereavailableforoccupation.

IanRumsey

Warr Tree Hive Warr BaumbeuteEinleitung Warum die Warr-Baumbeute?!Introduction why a Warr Tree Hive?Wird die Warrbeute den von Ian Rumsey aufgestellten Anforderungen gerecht?!Does the Warr hive fulfill Ian Rumsey's requirements for a good hive?!Die Anpassung der Warrbeute / Modifying the Warr hiveAnhang /AppendageINVESTIGATION INTO NATURAL COMBNATURAL WAYS OF IMPROVING VARROA CONTAINMENT