Andrea writes:
I thought tasks were age dependent.

It was long thought that task performance was simply a linear progression. That task simply changed with the age of the bees. Now it is thought that a variety of factors influence what task a particular bee performs. 

In a hive there are many bees of similar genetic background which have their development regulated by many means, including type of food, various glandular secretions, and now we see temperature levels. The most obvious is the queen, but it is plausible that the hive has many subcastes that are only now being recognized. 

Furthermore, in a hive there are many bees of very different genetic background and they may develop different abilities or be raised to perform different jobs, depending on what is needed and what proclivity they might have. 

By the way, using single comb hives hardly invalidates the study. Tom Seeley has worked with single observation hives for decades and his work is consider valid, regardless of the mode of housing. 

In addition, there are two type of honey bee that are very widespread in Asia the nest of which consist of a single comb only: the dwarf honey bee and the giant honey bee (various species including Apis florea and Apid dorsata; there are others).

Cavity nesting bees such as Apis cerana and Apis mellifera form multiple comb nests in order to conserve heat. Perhaps the single comb builders are more concerned about getting rid of heat. 

PLB

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