Having read the fervor, mostly off this list, about the efficacy of an
allegedly more natural small cell size for prevention of mites and other
ills, I decided to measure some left over comb, not yet melted down, from
two feral colonies. Some had honey in it, and some had brood having been
smothered when the combs smashed together when the bee tree fell.  The comb
of both colonies measured 26.5 mm across the flats of 5 cells, which gives a
pitch of 5.3 mm per cell.  One may assume that the inner dimension is
slightly less.  I've not yet compared this with purchased foundation.  I
have no idea of the lineage of these colonies.  One (since requeened) had
bees uniformly having orangy red and black stripes.  The other has bees of
every color, though the queen is pumpkin colored.  Both were mite free when
captured, but subsequently got mites.  One colony still has much of its
original brood comb (too beautiful to replace) now on frames, and did get mites.

I offer no conclusions about this comb, the bees that made it, or the (since
killed) mites that eventually infested the bees, but merely share the facts.

Bill Morong