I would like to respond to some very good questions put forth to me by Helmut E. Garz on Sun, 8 Oct 2000, 19:18:53
<<#4 If the manufactured imprints are 5m/m and the bees build accordingly, why are drone cells larger when the imprints are smaller?>>
There is a constant ratio for cell building that bees keep to when drawing out combs for use within a colony. That ratio is simply stated as 3, 4, 5. It pertains to the size difference that beekeepers can easily see relative to workers, drones and queen bees.
For every 5 worker bees necessatating 5 worker cells, you will have appproximately in the same space, 4 drone cells or 3 queen cells built.
This the bees build automaticly, so depending upon the time of the year, you will see them building the bigger drone combs relative to the smaller brood comb or small cell imprint you are using.
<<#5 Why do workers build smaller cells when the imprints are larger?>>
<<#6 Should one present imprints of smaller (4.9) size will the workers build larger measures?>>
<<#7 If worker cells get smaller (less than 4.9) with age, do the bees become still smaller?>>
To answer and give insight into the next inquiries I need to give a little historical background.
In both the 1891 and 1908 editions of ABC and XYZ of Bee Culture it was written that "Several times it has been suggested that we enlarge the race of honey-bees by giving them larger cells; and some circumstances seem to indicate that something may be done in this direction, although I have little hope of any permanent enlargement in size, unless we combine with it the idea of selecting the largest bees to propagate from." ALSO WRITTEN on the same pages was, "Worker-bees reared in drone-cells are, if I am correct, sometimes extra large in size, but as to whether we can make them permanently larger by such a course, I am inclined to doubt. The difficulty, at present, seems to be the tendency to rear a great quantity of useless drones." This idea came about, because it was noticed by some beekeepers back then that bees sometimes reared worker-brood in drone-comb, where compelled to, from want of room and inadequate number of brood-cells available.
The problem was over come by gradual increase of foundation sizing over the course of the 1900 century in conjunction with the selection of larger so-called better queens.
Now this idea for bigger bees came about for want of better bees, that could gather more honey, and of course bigger bees could gather more than any smaller ones and even had longer tongues to do so with.
As far back as 1913 in ABC and XYZ of Bee Culture it was written that the larger portion of the cells in a given hive would be found to measure about 5 to the inch. Meaning some would be smaller, some the same size, or some even larger. This approximate sizing was called worker-cells that could be used for rearing worker-brood, but also for storing honey or pollen.
It was also said in 1913 at the same time that a smaller number of cells will be found to measure about 4 to the inch, which also meant that they could be a little smaller, the same, or a little larger. These were called drone-cells and were identified as being used for rearing drone-brood, or for storing honey, BUT SELDOM for pollen or worker-brood unless the bees were compelled (forced) to do so by lack of enough combs of the proper sizing.
Also early on it was learned and written concerning the size of greater worker bees born out of bigger cells, that many qualities were NOT heritable/hereditary, so that a swarm from a colony on enlarged worker cells of 700 in freedom (nature) goes back to 734 cells and after that goes back to 835-870 cells.
Now, just what does this have to do with the questions asked? Well, frankly, we have gone so much larger with our bees today, that they in many cases are completely seperate from feral bees anymore as to how they interact.
You place small foundation into a colony at the wrong time of the year and by instinct the bees will automatically ruin it and try to build it larger necessatating much culling.
You also can place large foundation into a colony at the wrong time of the year and also by instinct the bees will automatically ruin it and try to build it smaller necessatating much culling too.
So to answer the questions, what is going on must be explained a little bit more.
Most beekeepers are used to drawing wax when their bees are at their largest inclination for drawing combs, - namely, those used for honey production. These are the larger cell sizes our industry went to during the course of this past century,and are drawn on main flows, and today beekeepers have little problem doing it. They know they must wait until the bees are whitening combs at least 3/4 down the frames on a good flow to insert new combs for the most part.
But there is another whole concept in drawing combs, namely, those combs used for brood that is completely different.
The inclination for drawing smaller combs for the broodnest only happens when the bees first brood-up in the spring, restart drawing combs immediately following swarming; and/or restart brooding following broodnest turnover in the fall for going into winter by changing over from summer to winter carryover bees.
So why do workers build smaller cells when the imprints are larger? They do so,mainly, because the time of the year or circumstances dictate, that they need brood combs built in ratio to the larger cells, they are being given.They could be given the larger imprints(honey comb size cells) first thing in the spring, with nature saying instead, brood combs of smaller size need to be built instead, or the bees are of a small cast delineation that don't fit the larger combs (i.e. caucasian)
Also, should one present imprints of smaller (4.9) size will workers build larger measures? Yes, most definitely if given too late in the season when the inclination of the bees is for honey storage on a main flow and not for more brood, or the bees are of a large caste delineation that don't fit the smaller combs (i.e.carnolian,large hybrid Italian).
If the worker cells get smaller (less than 4.9) with age, do the bees become still smaller? Yes, and this is the natural order of life for bees. They will build combs a certain size and then in a few short seasons by cocoon build-up, the cells naturally go smaller. This allows for a wide variability in genetics for mating.
To go bigger would have then have the opposite effect, creating slower and less variable genetics for mating, besides creating imbalance problems with natural flora leading to still more problems.
Now a final question asked was:
<<Final question: Does 1/2m/m make a rabbit fat? Does the queen's abdomen diameter play a role?>>
Maybe a 1/2 m/m doesn't make a rabbit fat, but it certainly has a bearing upon the size of a worker honeybee, because most beekeepers fail to realize that when you expand the sides of the parallel walls of the cell, you are expanding it in six directions at the same time and not just the two most think about. That expansion in six directions at the same time adds up fast, especially, since the size of the worker cell dictates the size of the thorax of the worker bee, which then correspondingly dictates the sizes of the rest of the bee's body parts.
Does the queen's abdomen play a role? Maybe a little I would say. Saw it written early on that overly large queens were observed to be turning like corkscrews to fit into smaller cells to lay, thus slowing down the egg laying process and necessating the need also for larger combs by those observing. But here the question should be asked, if this was actually the case in nature, would the colony survive to perpetuate this overly large type queen?
Now I don't know if I have answered your questions. I hope I did. If I did not please let me know and I will try again.
For more information please see:
http://www.beesource.com/pov/lusby/root1891c.htm
If someone else would like to respond also, please feel welcome to do so. Maybe you can shed more light onto the subject for understanding also.
Dee A. Lusby
[This message has been edited by Dee A. Lusby (edited 10-17-2000).]