Phil, what HP said plus I?ll add: I grafted late last August, during a dearth just a few larva and the bees had no problem accepting larva and making successful queens. One queen named Thelma, for fun, last September if you remember the thread? This queen is thriving to this day. Now I don?t recommend raising queens during a dearth, and late in season, but Grafting will work.
I believe as long as there are nurse bees, stores and warmth, my bees will make a queen if I ask. Quantity is definitely positively affected by a flow or the opposite negatively during a dearth. Quality is affected by age of larva chosen and amount of nurse bees to produce royal jelly.
Then, of course, there needs to be mature drones. Late winter of 2020, I did see drones upon first inspections? As there was no brood in most of the hives,I believe these drones were wintered over. This apparently is very rare, at least the my eyes. I would like to hear if other beeks have seen over wintered drones?
Van