Seeley and Morse's 1976 study shows that worker cell size is uniform
and averages 5.2 mm in width. Variation appears to be greater in honey
storage cells, and is often caused by stretching.

Excerpts

The basic nest organization is honey storage above, brood nest below,
and pollen storage in between. Compared to combs used for honey
storage, combs of the brood nest arc generally darker and more uniform
in width and in cell form. Drone comb is located on the brood nest's
periphery. Table II provides a systematic comparison of these
differences.

TABLE II. -- Comparison of brood comb and honey comb

Brood comb

Comb width is uniform :
worker comb = 21 - 24 mm wide,
drone comb = 25 - 29 mm wide.
Cell walls are straight.
Cell size is uniform : cells are either worker cells or drone cells.
Cell cross section : regularly hexagonal.
Cell pattern is regular : cells arranged in straight, horizontal rows.
Color is dark brown or black.

Honey comb

Comb width is variable.
Cell walls are often curved.
Cell size is variable : cells are of various diameters and depths.
Cell cross section : often irregularly hexagonal.
Cell pattern is often irregular : cells often arranged in curved series.
Color is often light yellow to light brown.

Since newly built combs have regular cell shapes and patterns, we
interpret the structural irregularities in the honey storage combs
(except for the comb width variation) as distortions induced after
comb construction by the heavy honey they hold. Irregular cells are
satisfactory honey containers, but uniformity in size and shape may be
essential for cells used in brood rearing.

Average cell diameter (wall-wall) x depth :

worker cell . . .  5.2 mm x 11.0 mm
drone cell . . .  6.2 mm x 12.5 mm

FROM
THE NEST OF THE HONEY BEE
By T. D. SEELEY and R. A. MORSE

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