Allen wrote: "I have no interest in the 4.9 fantasy, but 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.  Generally creatures 
get bulkier the further from the equator or sea level they are.  The 
northern European honeybee, Apis mellifera mellifera tends to have a 
larger body size to the Italians (A.m.Ligustica).

Beowulf Cooper in The Honeybees of the British Isles wrote in his 
section on the physical characteristics of native bees: " GENETICALLY 
LARGE SIZE. When given large cell foundation of 700 cells per square 
decimetre instead of the 'standard' type (850 or 800) normally  sold in 
the British Isles, native strains produce appreciably larger bees, with 
wing length and breadth 5-10% greater than the same strains kept on 
standard foundation. Italian and Carniolan strains tested respond 
little in this way: i.e. they appear to be full-sized on 850 or 800 
comb already...............
............Larger body size must tend to reduce heat loss and is 
probably associated with larger (if more dilute) nectar loads. The 
smaller, faster flying strains from hotter, drier climates may find 
that with more concentrated nectar it pays to make more but shorter 
journeys. At any rate observation shows that native colonies, with few 
bees on the wing, can put honey into supers as fast during a honey flow 
as can much more populous Italian colonies."


Chris




  

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