>  if a particular queen source had a profound effect on wintering, one
> would expect to see this effect across multiple colonies. If there is no
> profound effect, is it worth anything?
>

Well such researches were being done in Poland in late 60's to early 80's
of previous century (before Varroa). The results were published in Polish,
so they are useless to You. Let me summarize them:
1. Northern races of bees (such as AMM) had generally 1-3kg of winter
stores more in Spring than other races (the Russians were not present in
Poland at that time).
2. Southern races (such as Italians) could not winterize without big stores.
3. Carniolans were somewhere in between, closer to AMM, Caucasians closer
to Italians.
Obvious results. Compare it with conclusion, that Italians are the best
honey producers.

In beekeeper's praxis these results are pretty useless if one consideres
change to "northern" stock as more frugal with stores: the beekeeper is
supposed to feed his bees as much as they need. Difference of 3kg of stores
may be significant in the apiary with thousands of beehives, but they
anyway mean close to nothing, when the cost of sugar is 1/20 of price for
honey.

-- 
 .  |           Krzysztof Smirnow             |  .
..: | Nondum lingua suum, dextra peregit opus | ..:
       * http://zapiski.pasieka.smirnow.eu *
           * http://www.stenografia.pl *
          * http://aedificare.smirnow.eu *

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