On 7/06/2012 3:16 AM, allen wrote:

 >I have to wonder where that 80,000 number came from and why it is 
considered conservative and not subject to widespread challenge -- even 
from newbees,


Hereabouts we regard 50,000 as being required for me to get our share.  
No idea where the figure came from.  However I notice that Winston in 
his Biology of the Honeybee says a colony may contain 100,00 or more 
bees.  But no reference.

Tasmanians  (seasonal beekeeping) when looking at mainland bees ( where 
beekeeping can be year round) are inclined to ask -"where are the bees?"


Geoff Manning

             ***********************************************
The BEE-L mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned
LISTSERV(R) list management software.  For more information, go to:
http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html

Guidelines for posting to BEE-L can be found at:
http://honeybeeworld.com/bee-l/guidelines.htm