>I welcome any clear evidence showing nurse bees "refusing to respond to a
queens solicitation for food".

Hi Joe,  no direct evidence, but consider this.  Prior to swarming, it
appears that the queen is starved by the workers in order to slim down.
That observation suggests that they refuse her solicitation.  My guess is
that is the same thing that happens in fall, when pollen income ceases--that
the workers shut down broodrearing by simply refusing to feed the queen
enough for her to continue to produce eggs.

>laying by the queen in the early brood rearing initiation phase is largely
controlled by the temperature gradient.  Studies in early 20c have shown
this.

>
> Joe, would you be kind enough to forward me those studies?

Randy Oliver

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