>
> >I don't think there is any evidence that a colony of bees "knows" how
> much honey they have.
>

From my understanding, a central tenant of Walt Wright's Checkerboarding
system was the use of empty comb during swarm season just above the brood
nest, thus causing the bees to "think" they have less honey than they do
(which means they would need to have a concept of quanity of honey, even if
they lack the ability to quantify it), and temporarily delay swarming until
they have sufficient nectar stored directly above the brood nest:

"When the overhead empty comb is filled, the colony perceives itself to
have recovered from stores shortage, and swarm ambition is reactivated." (
Source
<https://www.beesource.com/threads/apply-survival-traits-of-honey-bees-for-swarm-prevention-and-increased-honey-production-part-1.365674/>
)

Whether someone can count this as evidence or not is questionable. But if
true, it might lead credance to the concept that the colony is intune with
the availability of resources in the hive, in that if they have "enough"
honey they may swarm and if they don't they won't. Although assuming the
colony knows it has "enough" honey is not the same as assuming the colony
knows "how much" honey it has.

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