> I understood there was brood & stores in the abandoned hive. If so, I would be inclined to test pollen stores as well.

Brood was observed in October.  No mention made of brood in at present.  Just stores.  Maybe Karen will clarify.

A double wintering on 16 frames of newly drawn foundation -- if I read right in my hasty review -- is iffy to survive, in my region, in my experience.

I can't say as I have ever seen laying workers evolve in a wintering hive in the North.  Bees just either die or leave.  The bees do stay if the failure slow or is late in the winter, and the hives will be found apparently queenless in spring.

From time to time in fall and winter, we just find empty hives.  No brood, maybe a recent queen cell cut open, ofen feed is on hand, but no bees, dead or alive.  I'd say maybe one or two per hundred is not unusual.

Dave, Don, Bill... any other cold country beekeepers care to comment?

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