> > Colonies placed in Southern Europe tend to have lower adult bee
> populations compared to colonies placed in colder conditions, while the
> brood population tends to be smaller in the North, thus reflecting the
> shorter longevity of bees in warmer climates and the shorter brood rearing
> period in the North.


Of considerable interest in this study (of nearly 600 colonies in 11
European countries), is that maximum colony population size was seldom over
20,000 bees (a cluster of about 11 Langstroth frames).  Such colonies would
be considered puny by most American beekeepers that I know.
-- 
Randy Oliver
Grass Valley, CA
www.ScientificBeekeeping.com

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