Not at all.  It's not what I'm saying, its what Mattila found.  That the bees that became "winter bees" were those that emerged *after* fresh pollen stopped coming in, and the rearing of young larvae ceased.


 Okay,  maybe in that area but not here.  If diutinus bees were not raised until after pollen stopped,  our hives would never survive.  We go from pollen stop to frozen wasteland of sub zero in about 3 weeks.  That would be one round of brood at best in a  good year.    Many years frost (plant killing) and snow are only a week or two apart.

For us the winter bees  must start in late sept to oct,  when pollen is still coming in strong and nectar is still flowing.  I have to admit  I have not measured it,  but it seems apparent winter bees start developing long before brood stops.   In my are brood stops about nov 1 as we treat for mites then with OA  and they are usually broodless,  or darn close.

Are you suggesting that the only bees that survived the winter are those raised after fresh pollen stops applies everywhere??  For us that would mean such a tiny cluster I cant see how that would be remotely possible.



Charles

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