On Mon, 12 Dec 1994, John Mason wrote:
 
> me.  They indicate a strong correlation exists between the age
> of the queen and the colonies tracheal mite infestation levels.
>  They are showing dramatic differences for queens in different
> age groups, young queens (less than one year) showed colony
> infestation levels, CILs, of ~11%. One year old queens had CILs
> of 30-40%, and queens two years and older were infested at
> levels in excess of 50% (I'm working from memory so percentages
> may not be accurate).  I haven't been able to speculate a
> mechanism for these differences (anybody got any ideas?) but
 
Well, it is generally believed that young queens are more prolific egg
layers and thus raise more brood..
 
Moreover when we introduce new queens or cells, it is usually into smaller
colonies or nucs.  They raise proportionally more brood than larger
colonies 'at least at first, because of the colony size - and thus outrun
the mites' reproduction rate.
 
Bees' lifespans in nucs and smaller colonies may be shorter as well.
 
W. Allen Dick, Beekeeper                      VE6CFK
Rural Route One, Swalwell,  Alberta  Canada  T0M 1Y0
Phone/Fax: 403 546 2588      Email: [log in to unmask]