"I thought that worker cell size was settled once and for all by my good friend Dee Lusby long ago after careful reinterpretation of the literature and determined to be, for all right thinking bees and beekeepers, 4.9 mm +/- 0.000mm"

Dee might have a different strain of bees than the mongrels I have in Dorset, UK.  In 2008, with the assistance of a son, I measured the cell sizes of naturally drawn worker comb in a top bar hive, top right, middle and bottom left on both sides. Top right ranged between 5.6 and 5.1mm with an average of 5.37.  Middle ranged between 5.1 and 5.5mm with an average of 5.25mm. Bottom left ranged between 5.1 and 5.4mm with a average of 5.25mm.
This suggests that bees prefer a range of cell sizes rather than 'one size fits all' foundation.  I haven't bought any foundation for years but still have some stashed away which I sometimes cut to provide top strips for frames in conventional hives or top bars.
Gazing at the bees coming and going from the hive entrance one can see a range of sizes of worker bees and these hives seem (can't be measured) to do better than those still on standard cell size.
When the brood comb is dark and should be renewed I cut it out leaving a 'footprint' to guide the bees in drawing new comb in a way convenient to me.
Chris

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