>
> >In our area, you can split hives into 5 or 6 in May and they will all be
> producers for the main honey flow in July.
>

The rates of growth of package bees in the northern states and Canada amaze
me.  However, there are certain biological limitations to how fast colonies
can build up, even when provided with an excess of forage.  Thus it
typically takes 8-10 weeks for a 2-lb package to grow large enough to be a
serious honey producer.

I've spent a bit of time in modeling colony buildup.  With small clusters
in cool-night regions, there isn't enough thermoregulated brood area for
the queen to hit full laying capacity.  From that point on, the buildup
rate is determined by the birth rate of workers vs their death rate.  A
vigorous colony in springtime rarely increases by more than 500 workers per
day (net increase after natural mortality).

You can do the math for your area...

--
Randy Oliver
Grass Valley, CA
www.ScientificBeekeeping.com

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