I am hoping someone out here in Bee land may be able to help me with a slight math problem I have been pondering,  but so far have not found all the right pieces to solve.
What I am looking for is the sugar or caloric usage of bees hanging in a package.  I am trying to figure out the optimum ampount of sugar needed for daily intake in package shipments.
I am well aware of what they actualy consume,  and have good numbers,  but I suspect strongly at the moment that we are not hitting the right balance.
Assume 12000 bees ina package , with a unfed/wild cluster hanging at 88 degrees.  I know from prior research that pacakges run warmer,  and I suspect its from to much sugar. 
So  if I assume the bees shook into pacakge are already full of nectar,  what is the actualy caloric or sugar intake needed in a daily cycle???
I have tracked and weighed a LOT of packages and have good data on weight loss,  I am trying very hard to figure out how to reduce the weight loss during shipment.

Charles   

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