>
> >I had been wondering, if the higher quantity of workers had allowed them
> to 1) bring in more stores quicker (the spring flow was just kicking into
> gear, when I added them), and 2) cover more brood for the queen, so she
> could maximize egg-laying.  Now, I don’t have to wonder about it.


Thanks for the observation Bill.

A couple of years ago I created a computer model for the growth of nucs,
with the variables number of combs covered with bees, and the amount of
brood initially placed in the nuc.  I assumed that the adult workers placed
in the nuc would die following the normal survivorship curve.  My model was
for nucs made with queen cells, rather than with laying queens (this makes
a huge difference, as in your case).

The results of the model (for nucs started with cells) were that the amount
of brood placed in the nucs was more important that the amount of adult
bees, since the original workers die off fairly quickly, with workers
emerging from the original brood taking their places.

I then set up field trials to validate the model, creating nucs with every
combination of frames of bees and frames of brood.  After many tedious
hours of measuring brood and bees with a 1" grid, rainy weather shut down
the experiment.

I then set the entire experiment up a second time (it took days of work
each time).  This time a freak heat wave shut down the nucs.

So I've yet to validate my model (which is why I have not yet published
it).


-- 
Randy Oliver
Grass Valley, CA
www.ScientificBeekeeping.com

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