>I have observed clustering sites migrate sideways over the course of the
>winter in a long hive to get to fresh honey stores

This is, I assume, a case where the cluster is right up against the lid?  

If there is comb overhead, the cluster normally moves up, but when they 
hit the lid, and there is nowhere to go upwards, the cluster will stay with 
the nearest available feed and move slowly with it as it recedes.

Sometimes hitting the lid early and in cold weather can result in a split cluster,
or in a case where there is brood and a weak cluster, sometimes starvation 
only inches from food.

(Sorta like the donkey that starved to death halfway between a bale of hay 
and a bucket of oats.)

             ***********************************************
The BEE-L mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned
LISTSERV(R) list management software.  For more information, go to:
http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html

Guidelines for posting to BEE-L can be found at:
http://honeybeeworld.com/bee-l/guidelines.htm