>>A second item where what I see differs from the sketch is the open cell area for "clustering." Had seen that reference many times in northern literature, and wondered what was meant. Locally, the bees will completely fill the broodnest with nectar when conditions support it. If they have reared their full compliment of wintering bees and field nectar is still available, they leave no empty cells. In our milder winter, they have no trouble maintaining cluster temperature with the cells filled. Consuming the underfoot nectar in early winter for heating fuel makes empty cells for mid winter brood.
Well, again. You don't have the winter we do in the north. Temperatures below zero for long periods...20-30 below some nights. The bees winter with that "clustering space" so they can regulate the temperature in the core of the broodnest. If you took apart a hive here in the winter, you would see that clustering space. When a colony dies from starvastion, where are the bees? Their stuck head first in cells. Did they enter those cells with the thought...this is a good place to die? No, they entered those cells to boost the temperature of the broodnest in an attempt to survive. Well that's the normal thing they do.
>>Genetic variation and irregular seasonal flows make for several different brood/stores layouts in early fall. We'll mention a few. In all the below, the colony survives our mild winter, but some may emerge from winter not at full strength. We will just treat the double deep.
Well of course. Bees do it every way...hence...ask two beekeepers a question and you get three opinions.
>>The norm: Overwintered in bottom deep. Top deep capped honey.
Come spring expansion, broodnest expands into 1/2 the upper deep. Backfilling of swarm preps reduces the broodnest back to the lower deep. At mainflow, the upper deep nectar is capped. The broodnest remains in the lower deep for the rest of the season and they will winter as they did the previous season.
Here, the bees continue their upward expansion, consuming almost all the honey above, and turning it into brood. By that time in April, I add supers so the bees can continue their upward expansion.
>>Other 1: Configuration same overwinter.
For whatever reason, during the spring flow, the broodnest shifts into the upper and the lower is largely abandoned, except for outside frames of capped honey and often frames of pollen. The broodnest remains in upper for the rest of the season. We suspect this condition is caused by some irregularity in the flow pattern that season. The 2 seasons that we have seen this happen, nearly half the colonies exibited the anomaly.
No irregularity if you ask me...juse that different colonies perform differently...see your comment about genetics.
>>Other 2: Same starting point in spring.
All spring, summer, and early fall same as the norm above, except for backfilling the broodnest during closeout. Not enough nectar in the field to backfill the broodnest during the closeout process. About first freeze, the colony finding itself clustered over empty comb relocates into the upper on solid capped honey. If fed generously by some quick method, the colony can be induced to relocate back down into the lower deep prepared for winter. Note that we are not normally looking in colonies at that point in the season,
but I go out of my way to monitor backfilling during closeout, and feed if necessary.
Yes, if there isn't the flow, the bees will be located in the top. Heavy feeding will obviousl force the bees down. But the colony will still look as the picture relates. The cluster will set up their broodnest the same, just be located lower in the hive. As would one of mine with a super of honey above. Still looks the same.
>>Since a single deep of stores will sustain a colony in winter here, niether of those conditions will kill a colony here. But what about Yankeeland?
Walt
Always radical
Yankee Land?? You mean NYC and the Yankees? Come on Walt, we're all one here.