> > >Also, I wonder what role -- if any -- there is for oophagy (egg eating) > in all of this. Yes, and I wonder how the colony regulates the egg production of the queen. In springtime dearths in my area, the queen continues to lay eggs vigorously, but the workers follow her and eat them. But at other times of the season, it appears that the nurses somehow (likely be restricting jelly) stop the queen from laying eggs altogether. Have you seen any studies that looked into this? >Why wouldn't the change in day length be the initial trigger? Geoff, I've looked into this in great detail, and have found little or no supporting evidence for that being the trigger, but plently of evidence to the contrary. E.g., when I visited Trevor Weatherhead midwinter some years ago, there was a flow on from one of the eucalypts, yet despite the very short day length and cool weather, the colonies were brooding up and producing white wax. -- Randy Oliver Grass Valley, CA www.ScientificBeekeeping.com *********************************************** The BEE-L mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned LISTSERV(R) list management software. For more information, go to: http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html