>
> NWCs will . . . overwinter with quiet aplomb on scary-looking grapefruit
> sized clusters of bees that make the new NWC owner think that no contracts
> will be filled in spring.   But toss on a pollen patty in early spring, and
> they expand so rapidly you are making splits in the snow just to keep the
> bees in the hives, and out of the trees.
>

It's always chewed in the back of my mind, why is it that NWC (or insert
other genetic line) builds up faster in spring than Italians (or insert
other genetic line)?

Randy Oliver's work
<http://scientificbeekeeping.com/understanding-colony-buildup-and-decline-part-4/>,
building on other researchers, convinced me that colony growth rates in
spring are linear (not exponential, as I originally thought and had been
told). So if NWC grows faster in spring than Italians, it must be the slope
of the growth that is different, which requires either (1) NWC overall to
have a significantly greater egg laying rate than Italians overall, (2) NWC
to be able to maintain better brood nest temps than Italians, (3) NWC to be
able to hold onto resources when Italians can't (or the beekeeper doesn't
provide), or (4) NWC is able to maintain broodrearing space better than
Italians.

On each point:
1. I've never seen anything that states that NWC queens have significantly
higher egg laying rates to explain the different slope growth.
2. I've never seen anything that states that NWC can maintain better brood
temps with fewer bees than any other lineage.
3. Lack of resources doesn't explain the change, as if you arguably give a
pollen patty to both genetic lines the NWC is supposed to take off faster.
4. It seems to me broodrearing space shouldn't be a factor, as a smaller
overwintering cluster (NWC) would require honey to be overwintered closer
to the overwintering nest, thus allowing for *less *space for queen growth
in spring as opposed to Italians, for example.

Can anyone fill in the blanks on what I'm missing? Why do NWC colonies show
such explosive growth compared to other lines?

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