ianrumsey@hotmail.com
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Most of this comb is of the vertical variety (photo 03) refers.
Cell size measurements have also been taken in each of the 3 directions.
For example.
Hive 1-1
5.6---5.2---5.4
5.4---5.3---5.4
5.4---5.3---5.5
5.3---5.5---5.3
Cell orientation was not recorded.
Hive 7-1
5.1---5.3---5.3 horizontal comb
5.4---5.2---5.2 vertical comb
5.3---5.3---5.3 horizontal comb
5.3---5.3---5.4 horizontal comb
5.4---5.2---5.7 vertical comb
(photo 04) refers
To fill spare space large comb is built
6.9---7.1---7.3 vertical comb
7.1---7.2---7.1 vertical comb
(photo 01) refers
If you leave a swarm in a box for say 24 hours they commence building comb which I have found to be oval in shape, deeper than it is wide, constructed with vertical comb with a cell size of 5.5 mm.
Last year I placed 3 swarms in upturned boxes 9"x9"x18" deep with the facility of removing the top 4" (photo 02) refers.
This will show whether the initial comb has vertical or horizontal orientation.
There is a mechanical, structural reason why wide shallow cavities produce horizontal comb and narrow deep cavities vertical comb and there is also a line of reasoning which suggests that vertical comb is detrimental to varroa reproduction.
The presence of vertical comb in the brood nest of feral colonies may perhaps explain their apparent survival.
- Ian Rumsey