Hi All
 
I have in the last few months begun road testing some queens I reared
last year.
 
Basically I put them into a double brood box, and have fed them both
sugar/honey (when available from removals) and also pollen when their
resevers looked poor (from other colonies that were p bound).
 
I have found that it seems the limit for my queens is to lay about 13
- 15 frames maximum for a period of about 3 months, after which they
begin to fail. (SA frames have 8800 cells per frame - normal EHB comb
is about 5500 so this means to put it into pespective for comparison
laying about 15 to 18 frames I geuss)
 
Is this a 'normal' period of time for other races of bees?
 
The reason  I ask is that most books state that our cape bees don't
do well in a double brood box. I raised queens from hives that were
laying more vigourously and then forced them to lay a double brood
nest by manipulation. I had however expected them to hold out longer,
so just wish to know if maybe this is just a biological ceiling they
are up against.
 
Keep well
 
Garth
Garth Cambray           Camdini Apiaries
Grahamstown             Apis mellifera capensis
Eastern Cape Prov.
South Africa
 
Rule 1.) Cape bees are for those that hate rules.
 
Rule 2.) Standard Disclaimer applies to this post.