Dave, we haven't done any over-wintering work in Montana -- I can vouch
that there is no brood in the boxes when its minus 40+ degrees F.

We did run multiple hives with 3-5 temp probes in hives in Maryland, year
round.  Have to revisit the data, its been nearly 8 years.

One tip, thermal regulation reflects hive reproductive status.  In the
warm/growing season, the hives maintain very constant temperature, if brood
is present.

In very cold weather, bees also tightly regulate temperature in the middle
of the cluster.

However, if the queen stops laying in mild weather, the colony will slack
off on temp control.  While eggs are present, the colony still does a good
job of temp
control.  Soon as eggs are gone, bees will ease up a bit.  When both eggs
and larvae are gone, the colony gets even looser in its temp control.  No
brood, and
the colony tends to reflect ambient temp -- little or no thermal regulation.

Jerry




At 01:46 AM 1/4/2005, you wrote:

>Hi Jerry and all
>
>First may I say thanks to all of those that that gave me information
>offlist, it is refreshing to know that so many knew the details, but I am
>also pleased that the list was not clogged up with the replies.
>
>Now specifically to Jerry's post...
>
> >  but the 3-d
> > movies of temp changes are something to see
>
>I reckon you can guess my next question :-)
>How can I access or gain a copy of such video ?
>
>My reason is simple, we have the opportunity to organise some co-operative
>research in UK and Ireland (and possibly wider afield) based on the 'Irish
>List', and are at present discussing what topic would be the most useful to
>pursue. The most likely candidate at the moment is a study of brood rearing
>during what are considered 'winter months' (which in turn would give us
>information about windows for dribbling acid treatment).
>
> > Bottom line, much of what we thought was happening inside bee
> > hives ISN'T.  That's why its taking so long -- better information
> > changed the paradigm, which in turn generated a  lot more questions
> > that had to be answered.
>
>Exactly why we wish to look deeper, most of what we think we know about this
>subject is either conjecture or thoughts handed down over generations
>without being properly checked.
>
>
>Regards and Best 73s, Dave Cushman G8MZY
>http://website.lineone.net/~dave.cushman or http://www.dave-cushman.net
>'Fall Back', build 4.6 (almost stable)
>
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