>> I do have an interest in knowing if small changes in cell size
>> might have importance in northern winters and springs. From limited
>> tests, I suspect they do. How would we test this theory?"

> Contact beekeepers using local bees in Scandinavia and Russia parts
> of which will have similar latitude and climate to parts of Canada.
> Obtain samples of naturally drawn comb from them.

I polled beekeepers a long time back while evaluating the small cell
claims.  Here were the results:
http://www.honeybeeworld.com/misc/cellcountres.htm

> ...Larger body size must tend to reduce heat loss

Interesting.  That runs opposite to what I was speculating.  I was
speculating that packing in more bees in a volume would aid wintering
due to greater heat generation per volume and less loss due to smaller
cluster surface.

Just goes to show how speculating and trying to guess the truth from a
few facts can lead to differing and opposite conclusions and that to
know the truth tests must be devised before an idea can be given credence.

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