>    The bacteria in the larva's gut compete for the  food there, and
> eventually overwhelm it so that it starves. If it's already  suffering
> because of poor
> nutrition, it's going to be more vulnerable.

It seems to me that the term 'honey flow' mentioned earlier could be
misleading.  Here, where I live, both avocados and blueberries flower in the
spring.  Blueberries starting in the winter, and are regarded as having poor
nutrition for bees.  Spring is build time and at first the larvae may be
nutritionally stressed as the hive struggles to expand and provide enough
food for the developing larvae.  In areas where brood rearing shuts down,
the first round or so of brood is fed on stored pollen.  So this 'old'
pollen may have come from poor sources.

Avocados here, and I assume where Juanse works them, come later, hives will
have already have had time, and access to quality pollens.

We seldom see EFB these days, but in the southern (and colder) parts where
canola (rapeseed) is the first major pollen source EFB still seems to be a
problem.

After the 'build up' we move to the 'honey flow'.  By which time all should
be well with the world.

Geoff Manning

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