>If you read back thru any of the old text (going back as far as the days of Jay Smith... 1920 and 30') the consensus was then that if you wished to maximize honey production and minimize your problems the first advice was 'keep young queens in your hives'

Here in the UK Bro Adam gave much the same advice and so did others from that era.

However, the race of bee is significant and we have found in the past the older A.m.m. queens have done better than young ones.

I have just been reviewing my crops against the age of the queen: ten years ago I was seeing the highest crops coming from 3 and 4 year old queens, whereas in the last two or three years the best crops have come from 2 and 3 year old queens.

Is that significant or are there other factors at work - climate change, neonicotinoids etc?

I have to say that I am finding it very difficult to sort the wheat from the chaff.

Read people like Manley and you will find huge variations back in the 30s.  'Twas always thus?

Best wishes

Peter 
52°14'44.44"N, 1°50'35"W
 

             ***********************************************
The BEE-L mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned
LISTSERV(R) list management software.  For more information, go to:
http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html