> My small cell bees didn't have any cell size memory at all.
 As a matter of fact, they only built large cell size comb

Does not suprise me in the least.

>. It was the bees that hatched out of that same  large cell size comb, that
later, drew out the small cell size comb in my tbh.

 If your observations of feral comb are like mine I  believe although you
found some small cell cells there were plenty of other size cells in the
feral brood comb IN WHICH THE BEES WERE RAISING WORKER BROOD.

ALWAYS the smallest cells are in the center of feral brood comb. What bees
do! While it is  small cells in the center of feral comb the comb I have
looked at had plenty of 5.1-5.3 mm cells between the honey/pollen  area and
the center small cells. The bees were using plenty of those cells to raise
worker brood.

Several times beekeepers have held up a piece of feral comb and said:

"See the comb is 4.9mm."

I get out a measure and determine that half of the comb the bees are raising
worker brood in are in fact larger than 4.9mm.. Yes some might be 4.9mm.

"I have never seen a piece of feral comb which did not leave more questions
than answers as to comb cell size." Bob Harrison

The only place 4.9mm. is constant is when the bees are given a pattern to
follow and as said on the list they do not downsize easily. They want to
build a bigger cell size or in my opinion or they would "regress"
immediately.

If Dennis M. observations is the bees have got no memory of cell size then
why would they not simply draw 4.9mm. right away when given the 4.9mm
pattern?

Follow the pattern girls! They do with 5.1 clear up to 5.4 mm. WHY NOT WHEN
GIVEN 4.9MM?

I believe the 4.9mm is the unnatural size. Perhaps helps with varroa control
in a way we have not yet figured out but still NOT WHAT THE BEES WANT TO
BUILD WHEN LEFT ALONE!

I am a realist! I observe. The only size all BUT AHB want to draw is 5.1mm
and above.

 My friends in South Africa have said not all cells are 4.9mm in scut feral
colonies and can be as much as half a couple tenths of a mm. larger.

"The only consistent thing about bees is their inconsistency" Dr.C.C.
Miller

"Nature has unlimited time in which to travel along tortuous paths to an
unknown destination. The mind of man is too feeble to discern whence or
wither the path runs and has to be content if it can decern only portions of
the track,however small"
Karl Von Frish

Sincerely,
Bob Harrison

"What we don't know is so vast it makes what we do know seem absurd" Bob
Harrison

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