Spring buildup re: races of bees

[Moonshae]

How is it that Carnis build up so quickly in the spring compared to Italians? Do the Carni queens start laying more prolifically in cooler weather? Since their overwintered cluster is smaller, how is it that they can keep so much brood warm? Do they have a greater risk of chilled brood in the spring with such a rapid buildup?

[Cindi]

Moonshae, I will add some comments, but my answers will not fully fulfill your questions.

The Carniolan bees originated in Slovenia, mountainous, cold regions.  They adapted to fly when the weather was cooler.  They winter in small clusters, and begin to brood rear early.  They allow the queen to only lay enough eggs at a time that the cluster can cover.  As that cluster hatches, there are more bees, the queen lays more eggs.

I don't actually know why they are known as the "spring build up bees", but that is a loose term for them.  Just some quick little thoughts.  Have that most beautiful and wonderful day, Cindi

[Michael Bush]

>How is it that Carnis build up so quickly in the spring compared to Italians?

They seem to spread themselves thinner over the brood, so the brood nest is proportionately larger for the number of bees.  I don't know how they succeed at this, but they do.

> Do the Carni queens start laying more prolifically in cooler weather?

Actually they wait longer than the Italians to start rearing brood, but they rear more of it more quickly.

>Since their overwintered cluster is smaller, how is it that they can keep so much brood warm?

I always ask myself that...

> Do they have a greater risk of chilled brood in the spring with such a rapid buildup?

You would think so.  Perhaps they do.  You do see more chalkbrood, it seems like, with the darker bees and that might be related to chilled brood which might be related to their spreading the brood nest so far compared to the number of available bees.