>observing colony behavior in a "natural" state and trying to extrapolate
best management from that.

Certainly not my intent.  The more that one understands innate bee
behaviors, and the thermodynamics of the hive, the better one can then plan
management to help the bees to be more productive.

In a natural cavity, with the bees always up against the honey, with drawn
comb below, it's more difficult for them to build up, or store honey, and
they are more prone to swarming.  The beekeeper who is interested in
helping the bees to be more productive, will intentionally create an
"unnatural" arrangement of the combs, placing drawn comb above the cluster,
which allows the warmth rising from the cluster to make it easier for the
bees to take advantage of those combs, thus resulting in better colony
buildup, honey production, and reduction in swarming.
"Natural" no.  Good beekeeping, yes!

Randy Oliver
Grass Valley, CA
530 277 4450
ScientificBeekeeping.com

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