Liberals vs. Fox News Ain't Got Nothin' on Small Cell vs Large Cell Beekeepers

When people have their beliefs threatened they can get nasty. It goes far beyond just a difference of opinion. Just talk to a Fox News fan and ask about Hillary Clinton. Whoa.


I am finding that this hostile beast sometimes rears its ugly head in the seemingly mundane world of beekeeping. Why, I am not sure.


I was recently told about a workshop held over the weekend that was attended by novice, newbee, wannabee, and experienced beekeepers. This description is second hand but from reliable sources. When the alternative beekeepers offered observations different from a couple of the traditional beekeepers, a storm started brewing. The traditionalists dismissed the alternative folks, basically telling them they were lying about results they were seeing using small cell bees. Tensions kept building, and later in the afternoon, one of the traditionalists threw his hive box in anger, killing hundreds if not thousands of bees. Apparently with no remorse. Folks left the workshop feeling angry, confused, upset. Some said they would never come back. Who can blame them?


One of the heated topics surrounded small cell bees. For those of you who are unfamiliar, a long time ago commercial beekeepers supersized the honey bee with hopes that they would produce more honey. Some folks over the past several decades have been raising "small cell" honey bees, the original size bee. Many believe that these small cell bees are more resistant to mites, live longer, and are more healthy than their larger sisters and brothers.


I thought I might do some research on small cell bees, given the vast difference of opinion on the subject. There are numerous scientific studies looking at whether small cell bees have fewer varroa mites, live longer lives, etc... I found more research studies supporting small cell than not. But like many controlled scientific experiments, they don't address the larger complex set of factors affecting the honey bees. Are they feeding the bees sugar water or corn syrup? Chemically treating the hive? Are they in a lab or in an organic agricultural field? A conventional farm field or inner city? No study can be developed that can factor in all those variables. This is nature we are talking about.

If you think about our bees from an ecological perspective, they are being assaulted on many fronts. Are they healthy enough to sustain themselves from the pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides being dumped on the planet every day? What about all the chemicals some beekeepers put in their hives, believing it is absolutely necessary for the bees' survival? Sadly, the honey bees' lifestyle puts their lives at risk 24 hours a day. They have no choice but to venture out into their toxic world, a world we have created. Both inside and outside their hives.

We can argue with folks that work their bees differently than we do until the cows come home. But really, each beekeeper needs to find what works best for them. My way works for me, it may or may not work for you. However, there is one thing I feel very strongly about and that is that anyone who works with bees should know their life history inside and out. They should understand the effects of the food they give them, whether is is sugar water, corn syrup, honey, or some commercial product. Beekeepers need to understand how the chemicals they put in the hive affect the pests they are targeting AND how they can affect the bees. We should know exactly what will happen if we switch brood boxes in the spring, or moves frames from here to there. How will these things affect the ecology of the hive? The communication network? We should know why we do what we do, not simply relying on the fact someone told us this is what we should do. We are responsible for researching and understanding the lives we are working with. I was taught very differently 20 years ago than how I practice today, simply because I took the time to learn as much as I could. I always question "authority".

I can only hope that by the time I turn 80, I will more fully understand the ways of honey bees and not make too many mistakes along the way. I also hope that we beekeepers can learn from each other and respect that there are many ways to keep bees, what works for me may not work for you and vice versa. There is a bigger war going on against our beloved honey bees and they need us to stick together and be their voice.