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Date: | Mon, 27 Jan 2020 13:40:36 -0500 |
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Thanks for the interesting discussion.
I got around to compiling a bit more of my data.
Here is 2 years of data (more hives being monitored from this past fall).
The chart shows the outside temp vs a mid hive TH (Temp/humidity) sensor in multiple hives over the season.
I guess as some of you mentioned there isn't a simple answer to this question.
From my observations, I see temperature (1st frost) as one of the definite contributors, , availability of pollen (impacted by frost, drought or seasonality/expiry of plant), queen historic genetics (Italians, Carniolian, etc...) and health of the hives. Nosema seems to be a factor for me. Now in year 3 for H1 (same queen) it has severe Nosema (testing of dead bees and very elevated mortality at front of hive). I noticed a change in this hive in late July.
The question/thought I have is - Are winter bees raised by nurse bees in a different manner or are winter bees what they are because of the fact they never had to be nurse bees or do many of the different duties and thus become winter bees?
From the chart you can see that the last bees raised from the last couple of weeks of eggs technically will become the winter bees regardless. So if you have healthy bees (nutrition and disease free), at the right population level at the right time end of your season (similar to ramp up to nectar flow), with a hive with the right store levels (honey/pollen), in the correct hive winter setup for your location then you should be fine.
Beekeeping is indeed very local :)
E
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