>
> > If I am not mistaken though they swarm out many times a year,  year
> round??
>
I do not think it really matter in terms of total distance travel by a
swarm in one season, and this means if the swarm can grow and swarm again.
Most probably there is a certain latitudinal/altitudinal gradient in the
length of that season


>
> >My understanding of the bumbles is they work as a family unit until
> winter,  then the queens hibernate..  so only one jump per season???


My understanding is that  most bumbles colonies end the cicle with a big
production of virgin queen at peak drone season (usually mid summer). After
mating those queens "travel around" for most part of fall, feeding
themselves preparing for hybernation. Probably the expansion range of a
bumble bee queen is much bigger than that of a swarm of honeybees, however
bumble queen survivality and spring new cluster build up is much risky than
that of honey bees.

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