Dennis and I have spoke on the subject a number of times so will add what
Dennis told me.

> The most interesting experiments in this area were done by Dennis Murrill,
> who found that cell size varies with season, as does the bees size.

The above really has no hypothesis as what Dennis is speaking of is newly
drawn comb. the same hive will at times draw comb differently.

However and most important to me is that the bees do not change cell size
during the season. With old dark comb changes would be easy to spot.

cell size in the brood nest
> also varied from small to large, with the smaller cells about in the
> center
> of the frame and the cells got larger the further you moved from the
> center.

This is not a new discovery. The way its always been.

> So it was not a matter of one size fits all. The 4.9 crowd did not like
> that.

I don't think the 4.9 crowd had a big problem with the above. The problem
Dee had with Dennis was when Dennis started telling people ( Bob Harrison)
that you could see the small cell results with only the small cell comb in
the center of the brood nest. Dennis said when the honey flow was intense
you could slip two frames of 4.9 in the center of the brood nest and the
comb would be drawn quickly and correctly. Then a couple weeks later add two
more frames and those would be drawn correctly.
4 frames  4.9mm in the center of the brood nest was as good as the whole box
4.9mm.

Dee is basically done with BEE-L (in my opinion) because of those wanting to
refute everything she says.
Dee still talks to me as I never treated her ideas as pure fiction and gave
her the benefit of the doubt. Dennis is living in Florida in a condo not far
from my home town in Florida and last time we talked has not kept bees in a
couple years.

I have 4.9 mm cell frames drawn as Dennis told me to do ( each are marked)
but I have done no testing as the rest of the hive in 5.1 or 5.2 mm. Maybe I
will get time one of these days. I found the bees drew the comb exactly as
Dennis said they would.

As I have said many times the organic crowd gives me respect for my bee
knowledge but all their efforts to steal me away from the crowd which use
antibiotics (when needed)  and treatments for varroa (when needed) failed. A
couple well known organic beekeepers have said " Bob if you would come over
to organic methods and small cell many beekeepers would follow".

I run experiments every year but I treat my production hives for mites and
use antibiotics if needed. At least I am honest about the use.

bob
> 

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