Joe wrote:
>>>>>>>>laying by the queen in the early brood rearing initiation phase is largely
controlled by the temperature gradient.  Studies in early 20c have shown
this.<<<<<<<<<<

Hi Joe,
Tall people tend to have big feet. The taller they are, on average, the bigger the foot. It's quite a jump to say that big feet causes tallness. Because 2 things happen at the same time doesn't mean that one causes the other.
A number of things happen at the same time when the queen starts laying. The temperature goes up. (Is raised). The workers start feeding the queen and it's  a particular time of year. There's more.

To turn the discussion on its ear, assume the suspension of egg laying in the fall and before swarming, is due to the addition (by the workers) of a substance which inhibits that activity. Just prior to egg laying, that substance is removed. It's a subtractive process.

Here's another way-out idea. Suppose that reduction of egg laying (fall and Pre-swarming) occur for exactly the same reason; swarming. In the northern fall the addition of cold weather and short days inhibit that action, so  they wait. 
In more temperate regions do honeybees swarm, say, every 7 months or so?

Forgive me guys. I just wanted to get out of the box a little. Usually the enemy of progress has something to do with  "Known facts."


Dick Marron

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