Alden P. Marshall wrote:
>         I asked this very same question to a well known researcher at
> during a speaking engagement. The answer was very short and in my
> estimation not convincing. In essence, the larger cell has been used so
> long that it has became a trait for bees to build it that way because, I
> guess the size of the bee was bigger? I didn't per sue the matter any
> further at the time, I felt that I might be putting the speaker on the
> spot and I feel the place to do that is somewhere other than in front of
> an audience. Isn't it odd that the cell size has changed in a hundred
> years or so with very little effort and when it comes to trying to make
> other genetic changes cooperation with nature is arduous.
> Well, I'm extremely skeptical.
 
Hi Alden,
        I agree. Besides, I think they should have some evidence. A couple
years ago I dug up quite a bit on cell size measurements. Its been a
controversy for a long time. The numbers I found from over 100 years ago
were similar to the rescent numbers. In general, natural cell size varys
alot. Not too surprising considering the great degree of variability of
most honeybee traits.