I can tell you that at least in horizontal expansion hive like TBHs, the
comb defines the brood nest is the spring. The queen will not lay in new
comb UNTIL she has laid up the darker comb first. This is one of the
tricks of brood nest expansion in TBHs, when she starts to really lay up
again, place empty combs in the center of the brood nest so the nest can
expand, because the queen won't lay beyond the boundaries of the current
brood nest unless and until the brood nest is choked full. I personally
believe this is how the evolution of the bee has enabled colonies to
mature slowly as needed and not overdo themselves first year, and why
old feral nests are often HUGE and new ones usually much smaller. It
gives the nest a chance to buildup slowly the first year so they aren't
over populated for their summer and potential winter food reserves
because as a colony (since colonies usually throw of swarms after 1st
and 2nd flows) they can't prepare as thoroughly. 2nd year colonies,
whether swarm, packages, NUCS or splits usually perform better after
they have a chance to over winter. They get that early buildup for the
spring flow and all the food reserves that they can pack away.

--
Scot Mc Pherson
The Mc Pherson Family Honey Farms
Davenport, Iowa USA

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