"We checked this by hanging empty honeycombs upside down into beehives. Honey was stored in these inverted honeycombs in the same way as in the normally oriented combs, and inverted combs were also well accepted for rearing the brood. "

A number of years ago we inadvertently put on upside down the first of two honey supers . The super above it right side up. In spring we stack 2 empty supers on the ground near each hive and then place them on the brood box on the excluder in one lift.
This was done to 4 hives in a yard of 12. 
Upon checking back weeks later no nectar was stored in any of the upside down supers. 
Some nectar was being stored in the right side up supers as would be expected and the brood box held more nectar and honey than we'd like to see in spring and needed to be opened up ASAP. 
It seemed the bees neglected the upside down combs and travelled right past them and into the normally orientated combs. 

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