An interesting study, for any one who wants to do it, would be to:

1) measure the cell size of a bee hive

2) shake those bees into a framed super without foundation and measure the cell size after one new batch of brood are made

3) shake the new bees into a super of larger foundation, let sit until a new batch of brood are made

4) repeat 2)

5) shake the new bees into a super of smaller foundation, let sit until a new batch of brood are made

6) repeat 2)

7) repeat next year and replicate over many hives to get statistical confidence (reverse treatments, too - put in smaller comb first, then larger) .

That way we can learn whether cell size they are raised on influences cell size they make.  Comparisons of average cell size of European bees, or quotations of cell sizes of mountain Costa Rican bees are really pointless.  We know that cell and bee size within races is influenced by altitude and latitude, general climate etc.  All data for such a study has to be collected from the same location, using the same race (and if possible the same hives).

Maybe such a study has been done and I am reinventing the wheel.  Wouldn't be the first time...

Martin Damus