An interesting and informative discussion, Thanks all. I'll add my observations. I have seen significant difference in both fall cessation of brood rearing and spring initiation with colonies managed and located similarly. I'm in eastern WA. We have a strong fall flow of both pollen and nectar and some colonies continue raising brood well into Oct. while others pretty much slow down to a small patch in early Sept. The ones that slow down still horde lots of both and plug-out. Others will have 3 or 4 frames mid Oct.of brood and end up requiring supplemental feeding to have sufficient weight to get thru winter.We get a relatively late spring, first significant pollen in April. By then some have 6 frames full of brood and drones well underway, others still only half a frame of brood and no drone started. These colonies all have good stores of both bread and honey and appear in all ways healthy.The colony strength by then can vary from 6 frames to 16.How much does genetic variation play in these behaviors? Did the studies sited define the "race" of bees used and was there variation by "races"? Since retiring from the almond trek I no longer want big brood filled colonies in Feb. I raise my own queens from manly Carniolan stock and this past year added WSU cells to the mix. There are lots of migratory Italian's in the neighborhood so I get a mongrel mix I'm sure. So back to the question. Are these behavioral timings and signals universal to all bees or are there significant innate genetic variations ?

Paul Hosticka
Dayton WA

             ***********************************************
The BEE-L mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned
LISTSERV(R) list management software.  For more information, go to:
http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html