The productivity of hives is variable. It is no wonder why some researchers use the term "personality" to refer to colony characteristics. The colony performance is a sum of many factors, as shown by Jerzy Woyke:



An investigation of the factors influencing honey production was conducted using 12 colonies of honeybees
(Apis melli/era), with 3 replications in time. Brood areas, colony populations and weights of honey produced
were measured

Individual colonies produced between 4 and 26 kg honey. Production was related in varying degree to
number of brood reared (r = +0'20 to +0'85) and to colony population (r = +0'38 to +0'70). Individual
productivity of workers had a greater influence than colony population on the amount of honey produced

It is concluded that honey production is governed by the interaction of 3 primary factors: average daily brood
production, length of worker life and individual productivity of workers. The relative contributions of these
factors vary.

CORRELATIONS AND INTERACTIONS BETWEEN POPULATION, LENGTH OF WORKER LIFE AND HONEY PRODUCTION BY HONEYBEES IN A TEMPERATE REGION. J. WOYKE, Journal of Apicultural Research 23(3) : 148-156 (1984)

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