Hello Jerry & All,
Jerry said:
 Yet, one hive filled with bees,  the other two
> colonies had only the queen and the youngest bees.

I am glad to see the above. One *hypothesis* I put forth at the Austin ABF 
convention as to a *possible explanation* for CCD ( in the first days) was 
that the bees became disorinted and returned to the wrong hive.

The above hive would contain all the brood but no adult bees.


> Which colonies lose bees, which pick up bees, has little to do with
> position.  Move these hives to another beeyard, the same return pattern 
> persists.

I have been watching this phenomono my entire time keeping bees. In 
commercial beekeeping you strive to keep the whole yard at exactly the same 
strength so when one needs a super all the others do also. The most common 
way to accomplish this is to "trash the Yard" . In other words make all 
hives even in brood/bees.
Once done for the first week or two the project seems a success and then the 
phenomonon Jerry speaks of takes over and bees start moving to other hives 
creating imbalance. I have found that keeping young queens helps with the 
problem.

Swarming can be the result. At times hobby beeks think the hive gaining all 
the bees is because of a prolific queen ( which is a possible hypothesis but 
not always the reason for the quick rise in hive numbers)

These hives usually need some extra swarm controls.

> Finally, colonies facing the sun get up and start working 30 minutes to an
> hour earlier than those facing away from the sun.

Some races fly earlier also. The Australian bees I run fly an hour earlier 
than my other bees.

 All colonies return home
> and suspend work about the same time -

I agree! We have been cleaning up the honey processing area and all the 
races in the home yard have been trying to provide help ( rob) . When sunset 
comes they all disappear at almost exactly the same time. My Italians 
/Australians and Russians are easy for me to tell apart. All up robbing 
although they have a full feeder in the hive.

My new area is set up so I can pick up all but one piece of equipment with 
my forklift and sit outside. The bees clean up nicely. I then rinse with hot 
water/ power wash , wash with clorox water and put away for next season.

For years I fought trying to clean around fixed equipment. I recommend the 
method to all.

bob 

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