# Differences between small cell (aka natural cell) and large cell (aka standard cell)



## DRUR (May 24, 2009)

Some time ago in a post I stated that I noticed a size difference between a captured swarm and my purchased colonies (non-regressed at that time). Gmcharlie challenged me on that point asking upon what I based that observation. 

At that time it was just a visual observation. However, I have now actually gone out and measured the bees in my regressed bees compared to a colony which I have which is non-regressed, in order to verify if my visual observation was supported by an actual 'scientific' measurement.

The following are the results of those measurements:

10 bees were randomly selected from my colony which is not regressed to small cells. 10 bees were selected from two other small cell (regressed) colonies, but the sampling results from each of the two small cell colonies were identical so therefore I will present the measurements from only one sampling since they were identical. One of the small cell sampling size was from the captured swarm colony and the other from a colony which I have successfully regressed.

Non Regressed Colony (aka large, standard or traditional cell).

14mm=1
15mm=4
16mm=3
17mm=2

Average size=15.6mm

Regressed Colony (aka small or natural cell).

13mm=2
14mm=7
15mm=1

Average size 13.9mm

I will continue to make observations in the differences between these colonies and post them here and encourage others to do the same.


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

All bees when they first emerge are smaller. Small cell bees are even smaller. The difference is more noticeable at that newly emerged fuzzy stage.


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## BWrangler (Aug 14, 2002)

Hi Guys,

I've measured a few bees and have a few thoughts.

First, the same bee can vary in size/length/width depending upon age and also whether the bee's honey stomach is full or empty. I've seen bees in Arizona whose abdomen has cascaded inward like a closed accordion. Very strange indeed, as the abdomen was only slightly longer than the thorax! When rehydrated :>) they resumed a more normal look.

I've also seen their abdomens distended during late winter.

I've attempted to measure the more rigid parts of a bee like the thorax. But I've seen bees crush their own thorax to get through a narrower space.

A prime example is how a virgin queen looks initially and how the same mated queen looks a month later.

Just some thoughts.

Regards
BWrangler


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## DRUR (May 24, 2009)

BWrangler said:


> Hi Guys, I've measured a few bees and have a few thoughts.
> Just some thoughts.
> Regards
> BWrangler


GRRRRRRRRRRRR BWrangler, I ainta going to measure them again.:lpf:

gmcharlie got me hooked into this measurement deal when by my visual observations only, I stated that a captured swarm to me appeared to be smaller than my non regressed bees (actually it was my two sons who brought this to my attention). Charlie then challenged me about if I 'measured' the differences in these bees, and of course I had not. Since I only had one colony that I have not regressed to small cells, I chose them to measure (after the challenge) + the previously referred to captured swarm and also one of my regressed colonies. Actually I fudged one of the measurements of the regressed bees that measured 14.5mm so I rounded it up to 15mm which made both measurements of the swarm and regressed bees identical, othewise the test was fudged by .5mm.

However, since you mentioned it my son and I had the discussion concerning older bees or younger newly hatched bees, so (as I can recall I didn't keep a diary of this), we selected frames away from the brood nest approximately equally located from each other.

My be nice to have someone else measure their bees and see what the come up with., but you know I probably could have done without your comment (just kidding). Troublemaker!!!


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## DRUR (May 24, 2009)

See, it is statements here:
http://www.beesource.com/forums/showthread.php?t=232272

Just like this that got me in trouble "noticed the bees were a good bit smaller", :lpf:

And then it all starts again.


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

The newly emerged small cell bees are noticeably smaller than the newly emerged large cell bees. After that it gets harder to say... but looking at them in general you'll see a lot more smaller ones on smaller cells.


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