I think I am seeing local adaptation when I observe the ramping of brooding
in late winter which is supported by the consumption of winter stores.  The
colonies get very light in the process but end up with a strong field force
ready to exploit the spring flow just as it arrives.  


I am currently seeing the bees have again ramped up brooding and the nests
are huge, even though there is not much of a nectar flow right now.  There
is a fair amount of pollen coming in however and it is being used along with
stored honey for new brood.  I assume this is in preparation for the
exploitation of our fall flow which is around the corner.

Interesting thoughts...  I am curious as to what race your using?  I think
most of yours are survivor stock if I am not mistaken.
My point would be that this is the genetics of that line.  Not adaptation.
If you took those same bees to say Manitoba,  in one or two seasons would
that hive have stopped that and switched to one big buildup for a summer
flow??  Part of that answer I think is more of an external trigger we can't
see or define than the either genetic or adaptations.    I can see at times
the water on the terms can get muddy.   Randy pointed out Darwin's
observations.     I would say Darwin was wrong in definition.  I don't
believe that adapting (which means to change from one form to another)
happened in any short periods.  I think those changes that he calls
evolution were multi generational physical traits expressed by genes, those
stronger genes carried over other traits.

Interesting Gene Robinsons work on genomes and how that may play into
defining this a bit better.

Charles

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