Pete, I feel that you may have misinterpreted Engels. My reading is that
he is saying that there is a 20% change of that virgin being unsuccesful at
mating and then commencing egglaying--not that she failed as a queen.
This exactly matches my experience, in which we typically obtain 80% mate
out in decent weather. In poor weather, perhaps 50%; in perfect weather
approaching 100%.
--
Randy Oliver
Grass Valley, CA
www.ScientificBeekeeping.com
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