?>>Much of the art of beekeeping is choosing the correct amount of space for 
the time of year and the state of the colony.

> It seems the bees seem to organize their hive to favorably utilize the 
> cavity size.

Good point.

Diverging slightly, from your example, I have heard it said that bee 
colonies are like fish in a tank in that they adapt to their cavity size: if 
you want big fish, use a bigger tank; if you want bigger colonies, then you 
need to give lots of space.

Like most popular sayings (rules?) about bees, this is true -- within 
bounds.  Outside of certain limits, the rule does not apply.  Just as we see 
with the "Bees don't heat their hive" saw, which is true over a certain 
ambient temperature/brood rearing domain, -- wintering -- but fails in other 
conditions.  (To pass the true/false test, a statement must not have 
unstated conditions).

Getting back to, "It seems the bees seem to organize their hive to favorably 
utilize the cavity size".  I agree, but the  prime art of beekeeping IMO, is 
to to provide the cavity which costs the bees the least to use, while 
simultaneously not restricting their potential.

This, of course, is a moving target, changing with seasons and flows.  That 
job is much easier in warmer regions, especially where the bees seldom need 
to cluster, and where winter does not kill small clusters or confine bees 
for long periods.

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