Thanks for checking on things more carefully Randy and keeping us 
honest, or at least trying.  I still think we are missing something in 
the understanding of what causes cessation and initiation of brood 
rearing in long winters.  Observations in areas with short winters and 
broodless periods may be helpful but are not going to solve the riddle. 
 At the extremes of the natural and introduced range of honey bees, the 
cessation of brood rearing with some foraging and incoming pollen going 
on points to other signals  Similarly, the initiation of brood rearing 
during the coldest temperatures, maximal clustering, no flight possible 
and no incoming nectar or pollen suggest photoperiod....  We need to 
look at the most extreme situations.  Any input from people in the 
upper Midwest, Canada, Scandinavia?  Also, observations from western 
Europe which is warmer for its latitude than similar areas in North 
America may provide some interesting comparisons and contrasts. 

 

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