Hello Gavin - > iv) small cell size somehow awakens hygienic behaviour of some kind, perhaps > more efficient uncapping of infested cells. Didn't you observe something > like this Barry? Yes I did. The only claim I'll make is that, for the first time ever in all my years of beekeeping, I saw brood at the purple eye stage, in cells that were uncapped, chewed down midway. Dee claims this is fairly common with bees on this system, as they go about the job of 'weeding out' varroa. When I went looking through some of their hives south of Tucson, I saw this same condition in their hives. Here is a picture I took. http://www.beesource.com/pov/lusby/trip/10.htm Regards, Barry