In a message dated 12/4/98 2:25:49 AM Eastern Standard Time,
[log in to unmask] writes:
> The strange thing is that all of the
> queen-right colonies do not have such great supplies of honey, only a
little
> honey around the brood area, as usual. So I wonder: Are the queen-less
> hives working harder for the honey? Or do they have more honey because they
> have no brood to feed?
In my experience a strong hive that becomes queenless will temporarily
store more honey, and I believe this is because of the lack of brood to feed.
As workers die off, and the remainder lose morale, they will lose interest in
gathering, and/or not have the population to do the job, so there is then a
loss.
[log in to unmask] Dave Green Hemingway, SC USA
The Pollination Scene: http://users.aol.com/pollinator/polpage1.html
The Pollination Home Page: http://www.pollinator.com
Jan's Sweetness and Light Shop (Varietal Honeys and Beeswax Candles)
http://users.aol.com/SweetnessL/sweetlit.htm