>I understand from Michael's informative links that the medium depth (Illinois?) for hive bodies and supers is best for hive management.
For hive management it probably does not matter. For your back it makes all the difference in the world.
>Now as far as cell size, I understand the small is best (4.9mm). As I understand, it produces a more natural bee size and it also supports mite control.
The best size is probably to let them build their own, which would be a range of sizes for worker brood from 4.4mm to 5.2mm but most of the core of the broodnest would be about 4.9mm. That size foundation is available.
>Where can I get the Natural cell sized Foundations
You can buy 4.9mm wax foundation from Dadant and Brushy Mountain.
> and should I forget about the Plasticell?
I have a lot of 5.4mm plastic I won't ever use now. I would.
>And what is the best method for attaching the foundations to the frames?
If you put it in just before the bees use it you can get by with just waxing it in with a wax tube fastener or (if you prefer or if you have frames with the cleats broken out) nail it in. For this I'd prefer the grooved frames and the tube fastener.
> Wire with eylets?
I've never used eyelets. I have done horizontal wiring. When I used 4.9mm wax, I bought deep foundation (unwired) and cut it in half and left the gap at the bottom with two horizontal wires:
http://www.bushfarms.com/images/Foundation49.jpgBut you can now buy medium (which you couldn't when I was doing it) and you can buy it with vertical wires already in it. Try to make sure you buy the right size frames for the foundation if you buy it wired. It's difficult to cut the wires without breaking the foundation of having the wires pull out.
You can also buy it in 5.1mm. Unless they are natural sized bees, which most are not, the bees will build the 4.9mm correctly. That's not to say you can't use 4.9mm foundation, but if you like prettily drawn comb, the 5.1mm will get drawn better for the first shot. Then you can swap it all out eventually for the 4.9mm.
>So many want to say, but that is not true. Natural cells do not protect against mite.
An even more difficult proposition to prove than the other way around. A simple experiment will prove shorting capping and post capping times which can't help but reduce Varroa because of their life cycle.
>Feral bees are the worts which die for varroa in every country wher varroa have arrived..
http://www.bushfarms.com/beesnaturalcell.htm#feralbees