From: "adrian m. wenner" > "I measured cell sizes for one such feral colony
and obtained 5.3
> mm, larger than the cell sizes found on the island combs."

This thread is proving extremely interesting and thought provoking
........but doesn't the above quote take us backwards?

Hasn't the point been made that the cells in naturally built comb - as in a
top-bar hive or a feral colony - are a RANGE of sizes, with smaller cells in
the middle of the brood combs and larger cells towards the edges and on comb
drawn for storage?  Hasn't the implication been made that if early spring
brood rearing is  concentrated in the patches of smaller cells, spring build
up of mites will be inhibited (if it is true that small cells provide too
little space for mites to move freely around the pupa so that the number of
viable mite offspring is less). Or have I misunderstood?

If natural comb does show a range of cell sizes, then Adrian's recording of
one particular cell size in  feral colonies - presented as though that was
constant throughout all the combs - does not help us.

Robin Dartington

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
-- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/BEE-L for rules, FAQ and  other info ---
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::