>> Bob H: 'The days getting shorter is the trigger for winter bees being
> raised.'

> Or dwindling pollen resources, Bob?

Researchers never seem to get the big picture. Some truth in her hypothesis 
but those which keep bees for a living always say the bees work off the 
longer and shorter day hypothesis.

We see the queens raising winter bees in the Midwest even when our weather 
is mild which is based on the length of day .

Same for spring . Bees are hard to get to raise much brood until after the 
22/23 of December then with syrup & pollen you can get the hives to expand 
quickly.

dwindling (if not caused by health issues as Allen pointed out) is usually 
caused by the queen shutting down.

Lack of pollen will shut the brood production down. The bees will try to 
raise some winter bees with what pollen they have.

The problem develops when the pollen situation never improves or improves 
too late in the season when the bees can only get maybe one cycle in.

Queens quit laying in spring for weather (and at times pollen) related 
issues which is why we allow another week in our plans to get hives to peak 
strength at the usual time of our major honey flow.

Those wishing to keep bees for a living need to work with a commercial 
beekeeper for a couple years.
Will really open your eyes and increase your chances of success.

There is no way to really prove either hypothesis but mine is the bees start 
getting ready for winter and spring based on the length of day.

bob

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