I think I am seeing local adaptation when I observe the ramping of brooding in late winter which is supported by the consumption of winter stores. The colonies get very light in the process but end up with a strong field force ready to exploit the spring flow just as it arrives. I am currently seeing the bees have again ramped up brooding and the nests are huge, even though there is not much of a nectar flow right now. There is a fair amount of pollen coming in however and it is being used along with stored honey for new brood. I assume this is in preparation for the exploitation of our fall flow which is around the corner. Interesting thoughts... I am curious as to what race your using? I think most of yours are survivor stock if I am not mistaken. My point would be that this is the genetics of that line. Not adaptation. If you took those same bees to say Manitoba, in one or two seasons would that hive have stopped that and switched to one big buildup for a summer flow?? Part of that answer I think is more of an external trigger we can't see or define than the either genetic or adaptations. I can see at times the water on the terms can get muddy. Randy pointed out Darwin's observations. I would say Darwin was wrong in definition. I don't believe that adapting (which means to change from one form to another) happened in any short periods. I think those changes that he calls evolution were multi generational physical traits expressed by genes, those stronger genes carried over other traits. Interesting Gene Robinsons work on genomes and how that may play into defining this a bit better. Charles *********************************************** The BEE-L mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned LISTSERV(R) list management software. For more information, go to: http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html