>>I am sure that you agree, it is the bees. It is also your location, varroa pressure and a host of other things.

Many thanks Bill and I do agree that there must be a good mix of the right stuff.  I am amazed that they have done this well despite my awkwardness with the learning curve.

Figuring out how and why they are different has become a mission for me and I hope to end up understanding it better some day.  At this point all I really know is that their mitochondrial DNA doesn't reveal any exotic maternal lineage.  I'll be sending samples next spring to the USDA labs in Beltsville and Baton Rouge for further study.

I suspect that the floral diversity in my immediate area may be part of the puzzle. I've read that the southern Appalachian piedmont rivals the Amazon rain forest for numbers of plant species.  Weather-wise we get just enough of a winter here for the long brood break yet there are usually opportunities here and there for cleansing flights.  It's not unusual to see foraging for tree pollen on the occasional warmer days starting about mid January.

Best of luck to you and your friend with the experimenting.


Kevin Gross,  hobbyist/sideliner,  +/- 20 colonies,  northeast Alabama

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