> standard langstroth hives in terms of
> frame size, but with boxes for only 8 frames.

If the boxes are narrower, and hold only 8 frames, then
the motivation is to have 20% lighter honey supers,
as you describe in (A)


If the boxes are the same width as usual, but only 
contain 8 frames, each drawn out thicker, then the
idea is to make uncapping easier, and save 20% on
the capital investment in frames, and a certain
amount of labor in getting the same amount of
honey in less frames.

Just to complicate matters further, I've run
9-frame supers on 10-frame brood chambers 
for years, which is yet another approach.

But I've never heard anyone make claims about
ferals constructing a limited number of combs,
and I've removed lots of feral colonies from
structures with a dozen or more combs, so I
think that your choice (B) is based upon 
misinformation.

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