On Apr 7, 2009, at 12:00 AM, BEE-L automatic digest system wrote: >bob >Jaycox would find old dark comb and measure the cells..... >The research of both Dr. Jaycox & Dr. Farrar helped form my early >beekeeping. I think that this may be the reason why bees have "genetic" flexibility for variable size--to adjust to changing conditions in their own nest. As wax gets plugged up with successive molt skins the cell size shrinks. If bees did not have the "ability" to adapt to the changing nest conditions they would have to abandon ship. This "ability" may be expressed more from bees in cooler environs --fewer wax feeders--than warmer. Just speculating!! Mike *********************************************** The BEE-L mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned LISTSERV(R) list management software. For more information, go to: http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html