----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Dick Marron"

>Here's another way-out idea. Suppose that reduction of egg laying (fall and
>Pre-swarming) occur for exactly the same reason; swarming. In the northern
>fall the addition of cold weather and short days inhibit that action, so
>they wait.
>In more temperate regions do honeybees swarm, say, every 7 months or so?

No they don't; usually.  Here in subtropical eastern Australia they want to
swarm in the spring, as elsewhere.  Conditions are almost always conducive
to this behaviour at that time of year.  But, and there is always a but, if
conditions are good enough (suitable) they will swarm at anytime other time
of year.  I've even seen them swarm in the depths of winter in an area that
sometimes has snow.  In this case the weather was frequently inclement but
there was ample thin nectar and good pollen available on the good days.

Here there is normally no break in egg laying.  In fact I cannot recall such
a thing.  But, that word again, I have seen the hives broodless during a
pollen dearth, but the queens were still laying.

Geoff Manning

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