Occam's Razor applied to Comb Size

Let's take the observable facts: Professional beekeepers using
temperate zone bees (ligustica, carnica, etc.) use foundation
somewhat larger than professional beekeepers in Africa (using
scutellata, etc.). These bees will preferentially use these sizes
when offered both in the same box (personal observation).

There are at least two explanations:

1) that these are close to the sizes these bees make and have always
made; these are the correct sizes for these bees.

2) temperate bees were once smaller and were made larger by modern
beekeeping practices (despite the fact that the majority of the
world's bees are not kept in modern hives, and that there has been no
deliberate attempt to raise larger bees) -- and that they need to bee
resized back to their original natural size and then they would
accept the smaller foundation which at present they do not prefer.
This theory is bolstered by references unverifiable to work done in
the past (we cannot verify the size of comb one hundred years ago).

Occam would favor the simpler explanation.



--
Peter Borst <[log in to unmask]>