I've commented on some of the points raised on this issue before, but
perhaps it can all bear repeating.
 
   Here in Santa Barbara most colonies have brood all year.  Fall simply
grades into spring, that starts about late November and lasts until mid-May
(if one can go by what features we consider "spring").  Right now in the
mountains we have manzanita and ceanothus in bloom.  Here near the coast
the eucalyptus is in full swing, with much whitening of the combs.  We can
expect swarming season to start in a month if we get enough clear weather.
 
 
   In my nearly half century of experience with beekeeping in California,
it seems that increases in brood rearing and swarm preparations follow an
ACCELERATION of income, not the amount of income per se.
 
   I can cite an example.  As migratory beekeepers in the Sacramento
Valley, we first had our bees in citrus and almond orchards --- January
through March.  Then we moved them up into the mountains to catch the
manzanita flow (it occurs much later up there than down here in Santa
Barbara) and tap the buildup for package shipments to Canada and the
northern states.
 
   After moving some of the bees back down to the Sacramento Valley for
alfalfa pollination, we ran them back up to the 5000 foot level in early
June for the spring bloom up there.  Within a couple of weeks, we had to go
back up to catch the high rate of swarming that occurred near the longest
day of the year!
 
   We certainly didn't consider photoperiod to play a major role in any of
these different circumstances.
 
                                                        Adrian
 
Adrian M. Wenner                         (805) 893-2838 (UCSB office)
Ecol., Evol., & Marine Biology           (805) 893-8062  (UCSB FAX)
Univ. of Calif., Santa Barbara           (805) 963-8508 (home office & FAX)
Santa Barbara, CA  93106
 
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