>I think the incoming nectar stimulates the whole hive

Of course incoming nectar and pollen are stimulatory.  But in my
experience, during intense flows, the colony
deprioritizes broodrearing for storage, and often fills potential brood
cells with nectar or pollen, thus shutting
down the queen.
The above is a good survival strategy in most regions, since to the honey
bee colony, the most important requirement for winter survival is to store
adequate honey.  And any brood reared during a honey flow will generally be
a distraction from that end, rather than a benefit, since by the time those
bees reach mid-age or forager age, the flow may be over, leaving them as
just more mouths to feed.

Randy Oliver
Grass Valley, CA
530 277 4450
ScientificBeekeeping.com


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