Hello Juanse & All,

> you mean 21 x 4 days?

Yes.

starting the count on which date?

In our area the bees normally shut down after the summer flow and we see
mainly only enough brood raised to support the hive. However the population
drops rapidly after the summer flow and the queen seems ok with the drop in
numbers.

As the days get shorter you see the bees crank up brood rearing. These are
the winter bees fed the extra royal jelly.

 in my opinion most Midwest bees start raising winter bees around the same
time and through out the yard. I pick several hives to monitor. When I see
the increase of egg laying I start the count. Its fun to watch from one day
to the next. The queen goes from a small oval of brood to full frames of
eggs almost overnight at times. Kind of like a switch was turned on!  Both
years of drought the bees started later in fall and only raised two cycles
before the bees shut back down for winter.

Even Italians will restrict brood rearing under fall drought conditions. At
first I thought the reason was the lack of pollen but I fed pollen patties
(made with real pollen/substitute) and still only 2 cycles.

A rough count can be made right before winter in the Midwest as 8-10 frames
of bees are about 2 cycles plus left over summer bees and 4 cycles is around
18-20 frames (loose cluster) including the left over summer bees.

The researchers I have spoke with say the "winter bees" will live up to 120
days and the summer bees fed as bees do in the summer will be dead by spring
if not much sooner.

Hope the above helps and I would love to hear others methods and opinions on
this little discussed subject of beekeeping.

Sincerely,
Bob Harrison
Missouri
>
> thanks
>
> -- 
> Juanse Barros J.
> APIZUR S.A.
> Carrera 695
> Gorbea - CHILE
> +56-45-271693
> 08-3613310
> http://apiaraucania.blogspot.com/
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