Jim ,
Your mail dips well into the subject of bee communication!
Having just read without trying to take in the consequences of your comments - its late.

"The combs that act as "dance floors" are nearly always chewed away from the bottom bar of

the frame,....... reduces the damping" effect of the frame on vibrations, and results in
better propagation of vibrations across the comb."

How would frames that have plastic sheets acting as foundation react in damping or not of
vibrations generated by bees?

Also, relating to "seismic" wave propagation - vibrations will react (pass or be
inhibited) depending on the physical state of the materials held by the frame - nectar,
liquid honey, crystallised honey etc.
How would a bee facilitate it's analysis of what the "dancing bee" is trying to
communicate on a variable sound board
Bees follow a dancer on the comb - why?
Can bees be supplied with an odourous sugar solution - which they will then leave the hive

to try and find. - allowing specific nectars to be collected/ plants to be pollinated?

It would seem logical that there is a mechanism that is dominated by direction and
distance used by bees, followed by use of another sense on arrival in the desired
locality.
Dance for the former, odour once in the locality!
Back in the hive, distance and direction communicated by dance, and that information
backed up by odour.

Hope that you do not mind the questions and suggestive comments!

Peter