Whilst placing hives into winter storage here in Manitoba. I have really
been amazed at the ability of the bee clusters to vary in size.

Vary in size due to temperature.

Being temporarily stored in a enclosed area (therefore allowing easy
access to the hives even in poor conditions) without any heat, the
clusters were 3 frames across - judged from looking via. the bottom
entrance.
Some boxes still had Miller feeders on them - these were removed as the
boxes were placed in final storage position. The clusters were
impossible to see as the bees were too deep in the frames but was
interesting to see how much hoar frost there was in the boxes.

Once in the relatively warmth of the wintering room (+4 to 5 degrees
celsius) - the bees in most cases after 24 hours had spread and filled
50 to 75% of the box width.

I have various types of bee - most being Carnolian (or open mated
Carnolian offspring) with some yellow items from Kona (labelled Carnolian).

Is there any information on cluster size change when registered against
external temperature?

Also, what is considered as a normal winter cluster size for Carnolian
bees (at beginning of period of queen inactivity)? - realising that
there are a multitude of variables.

I presume that this topic must be of fundamental interest to any 
beekeeper sending colonies down from a cold climate into a warmer 
climate - as do Dakotan apiarists into the Californian almond groves.
Accurate cluster size measurement in cold conditions must be gauged to 
know what they are going to look like in the Californian conditions, 
especially under the regime of present day requirements.

Thanks,

Peter in Manitoba, where it is:

-19 degrees outside with a wind chill of -31 degrees celsius.

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