> ... This issue could be answered once and for all in one season.  Let's
say that we get beekeepers all across the country ... Everyone would weight
colonies at beginning and end of trials, make similar observations... 1
production season and we should be able to get a real handle on this.  Any
takers?

Sure.  Will you design the experiment and post it here so we can see exactly
what we have to do?

allen
http://www.internode.net/honeybee/diary/