There is a much more simple equation.

In physics, the simplest equations tend to turn out 
to be the most powerful, so perhaps beauty is truth 
and truth beauty.

My contention is that the lifespan of the honey bee
is not counted out in days, but in miles flown.

With the rule of thumb above, one suddenly needs no
complex explanations for the longer lifespans of "winter bees".

As I recall, there is a certain chemical that honey bees
cannot make more of, and when this chemical is exhausted,
they are unable to use their flight muscles.  I read this
somewhere, and can't recall the name of the chemical or
the name of the book or paper.

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