[Steve C]

I have a question about small cell...

If you have old brood comb that is old would not the cell be small after so many cycles of brood being in the cell....

even thought thay measure 5.3, the actule hole would be small...
How many years do you think it would take to get down to 4.9?

The reason I am asking... looking at my Feral stock as compaired to the Ital's, the Feral's look way smaller then the Ital's, but I know there are on new comb, not even black yet but the Ital's are on black comb that looks very old....?

Just thinking out loud here... thought I would ask...

Thanks...
Steve

 

[Michael Bush]

>If you have old brood comb that is old would not the cell be small after so many cycles of brood being in the cell....

Smaller, yes. Measure the inside diameter. 4.9mm comb would be 4.8mm inside diameter. The cocoons will accumulate until the bees think the cell is too small, after which they will chew it out. The problem with 5.4mm comb is that MANY generations of cocoons will accumulate before you will get to 4.8mm inside diameter (4.9mm minus the cell wall thickness). I don't know how long it would take to get to 4.9mm and I don't know if you'll be happy with the hygiene of all those cocoon layers in the cells.

>How many years do you think it would take to get down to 4.9?

My guess? Many.

>The reason I am asking... looking at my Feral stock as compaired to the Ital's, the Feral's look way smaller then the Ital's, but I know there are on new comb, not even black yet but the Ital's are on black comb that looks very old....?

Exactly. The regressed bees are smaller than the bees on even old large cell foundation. Cocoons are not very thick, certainly MUCH less thick than a cell wall. It would take hundreds of them to make a noticeable difference.