We are told that bees use day length as a guide to their activities, eg
the queen (no doubt on the advice of her daughters) starting to lay
again as the days get longer or reducing the laying rate as they get
shorter.  How precise are they in this?  Do they use the time of
sunrise, or sunset, or a combination of both to determine the change in
activity?

Here in Maiden Newton, Dorset, UK (it'll be different where you are),
although
the days are shortest (7 hours and 57 minutes) between 19th and 23rd
December, the earliest sunsets are at 1605 between 7th and 17th
December whereas the latest sunrises are at 0812 between Christmas Day
and 5th January.

Unless somebody already has the answer, this might be an opportunity
for those with observation hives or hives kitted out with thermometers
to make daily checks over the next 6 weeks and record what occurs when.
   As always, one person can make an observation, but when a large
number of people observe something similar (or record a lack of 
similarity)
then it becomes science.

So can we arrange to share data and see what, if anything, we learn?

I have copied this mail to members of the Devon Apicultural Research
Group and to Norman Carreck at Sussex University in case they want to
play also.  I don't have a hive close to home, but I have an apprentice
(Sarah of Bee Happy Plants) who has one of my TBHs at her nursery and
I'm sure she'd love to do a daily check!

Chris

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