> >True, and this is one reason not to be too fussy about
> >brood patterns, because doing so may discriminate against
> >hygienic stock.

> I understand that you did carefully chose to use the word ‘may’ which 
> relieves you of commitment.

Note: I liked Bob's reply, which came I as I was writing this.   I doubt I 
can do any better, and I have the same problems he does with the pictures. 
I can't see into the cells.  I agree with Bob on all points, but my 
perspective is perhaps a little different, not being strictly a production 
beekeeper.

Continuing...

I also used the word, "too".  What constitutes, "too", depends on the 
circumstances.  I also wrote the quoted material in the context that 
categorical statements are often made that seem to say a poor pattern 
necessarily means a poor or failing queen.  Actually, usually, in practice, 
for most intents and purposes it does.  There are, however, exceptions.

> 1. That one should always be very fussy, and select the best brood 
> patterns, because patterns do NOT accurately reflect the level of hygienic 
> behavior at the colony level.

That is not what I said, or even implied.

What I did say is that one must interpret a brood pattern, and not just 
reflexively assume that a spotty pattern is a queen problem.   Further 
observations should be made before automatically replacing a queen after 
looking at one comb.

Brood patterns reflect many things: season, nectar and pollen flow 
conditions, toxic food, disease, queen condition, queen age, queen quality, 
inbreeding, the condition of the nurse bees, beekeeper screw-ups, effects of 
dusting, heavy incoming pollen and nectar usurping brood cells,  etc., etc.

Brood patterns can also be inherited from a previous queen, or be due to the 
condition of a particular comb, or the result of larvae being removed due to 
disease, corrosion products in the wire or wax, etc., etc.

Additionally, some beekeepers may be keeping an inbred queen for breeding 
purposes.  Of course anyone advanced enough to be doing so does not need me 
to tell them about brood patterns, but I mention that so as not to be 
misunderstood.

> 2. That it is extremely difficult to interpret the cause of a spotty brood 
> pattern, therefore, ignoring a poor pattern might lead to unintended 
> consequence.

Like what?  Seems to me that if one ignores it, one does so with an 
understanding of why so the consequences should all have been considered. 
If not, Bob's advice should prevail, but, Bob's goals and your goals are 
very different, as are mine.

Sometimes a comb with a poor pattern can be right next to one with a 
surprisingly perfect pattern.

> To illustrate point #2, I would like to hear opinions from the main 
> speakers of the group; Peter B, Bill T, Bob H, Allen D, Aaron M, Randy O, 
> and others I may have missed, how they would interpret the brood patterns 
> in the link below?

I took a look and can see a few obvious things, like poisoned brood along 
the wires, sagged comb, individual cells empty with the six adjacent cells 
also removed (!), pollen packed into cells among the brood, signs of an 
apparently older queen, but without a context (season, hive size, etc.), and 
having limited time -- and not knowing where you are going with this -- I 
have not looked deeper.  There are other things, and I only glanced at the 
first few.  The pictures are a bit small and hard to manipulate.

OK.  Ah-ha!

I think I have it figured out now, and can see this is an exercise that is 
going to take some time.  I now see that you have two shots of each frame, 
taken at some unspecified time interval.  It looks as if you have done a 
pinprick test on each at the points marked.

I assume that our assignment is to assess the general brood pattern of each 
and relate it to the results of the pinprick test.

Correct?

We are having our Canadian Thanksgiving dinner today and have company, so my 
further comments will have to wait a bit.  I'll have to figure a way to see 
larger pictures side-by side than are apparent on this netbook.

At any rate, thanks for this.  I look forward to further comments from 
others and having a more detailed look on a large monitor with more spare 
time.

This should be good. 

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