> It appears that survival is somewhat dependent on young queens.

90% of my queens were new in 2010 and some were especially raised for me by a breeder for mite and AFB resistance.  Others were from the Saskatraz project.  The remainder were "survivor' bees and their descendants from my previous experiments with neglect (AKA 'No Treatment').

> An indicator of survival in the fall is a willingness to take down feed.

All my hives took feed voraciously until just before they crated.  

Some of the dead hives took all the feed I provided and I am picking up as many dead hives with empty feeders as hives with feed left over.  

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