Spending my winter days to advantage, and having just assembled
a goodly number of supers and hive bodies and frames,
with a variety of foundation, I have a question on the
effectiveness of the communication holes (or lack thereof) in
the various brands and sizes of foundation.  I have been told
that they make it easier for the queen to move to the other
side of the comb, and that would explain why the holes (or
notched corners on plastic types) are found on most of the
sheets for 9 1/8 brood frames, but not on the Illinois sizes.
But, just how much better are the holes over no holes, and,
are they also "better" on the medium (6 5/8") honey supers?
I have more than a few combs made with wired/wax foundation
in which the bees have not made communication holes, and others
which have several.  Is there good evidence that anyone knows
of off the top of their heads, or is this just an attempt
to mimic what happens sometimes with wax foundation in the
belief that it makes a difference?
 
Wayne Esaias
18 colonies, Howard County, Maryland