> thickness of each additional layer of cocoon is so thin as to provide little in the way of additional R value to the walls of the comb, unless of course the silk/adhesive combination have remarkable R value capabilities.

Study by Berry and Delaplane found that old combs weigh 1.6 times as much as new ones, and the cells are 94% as large, so the accumulation of material, whatever it is -- is substantial. Whether it has a negative or positive effect is another question. They found that the smaller cells were a deterrent to queen laying but that survivorship was greater among bees reared in old comb. 

Peter L Borst

Jennifer A Berry & Keith S Delaplane (2001) Effects of comb age on honey bee colony growth and brood survivorship, Journal of Apicultural Research, 40:1, 3-8, DOI: 10.1080/00218839.2001.11101042

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