The ability to digress into physics is impressive but might it not  be more likely that bees have both a diurnal  circadian rhythm and an annual rhythm  that both turns brood rearing off as well as turn it on again? 

According to Wikipedia, a circadian rhythm developed in the earliest living cells as a way to avoid exposure to sunlight. Apparently all cells respond to a rhythm.  Apparently we need to ask a chronobiologist about longer rhythms. Anyone out there? 

Presumably annual rhythms underlie annual migrations of some birds and mammals and fish. And leaf bud and leaf fall.  These can be marginally adjusted to match conditions in any one year but seem a powerful force as migrations do occur annually around the same time.  As does the turning off and turning back on of bee brood rearing. 

But I am no biologist ......

Robin 

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