Abstract
The effects of swarm size on colony growth and worker weight were examined in honey bee (A. mellifera) colonies founded by swarms. A significant positive correlation was found between swarm size and both brood production and emergent worker weight, but the swarm size and the ratio of brood to workers were not correlated. This differs from previous studies involving managed colonies where brood/worker ratios were negatively correlated with colony size. Also, cell size did not vary according to colony age or population. New colonies founded by small swarms are limited in the weight and number of workers which they can produce, likely due to poor nutrition caused by a lack of workers to perform nurse and foraging tasks.
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