James,
It really just sounds to me like your bees are better acclimated to CT weather because of your aggressive open breeding. The other beekeepers in your area probably still have their purchased queens or first generation daughters.

I say stick with your program, because it sounds like you are headed in the right direction.

Are you running on a small cell program too?

--
Scot McPherson
McPherson Family Honey Farms
Davenport, Iowa USA

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