>
> Wow, Steve, that's a lot of questions!  I'm half brain dead from moving
> bees, but I will try to answer coherently.


> >can you explain what is meant by "effective generational interval"

Colonies carry the genetics of two generations--the current generation in
the queens, and the previous generation in the stored semen.

>
> >and how having worker laid drones would cause a reduction in it?

These drones are from the current generation, so the effective genetic pool
is reduced.  I will forward you the math off list.  I don't pretend to
follow the details of it.


> > And again, how common is it that workers lay eggs in a "normal"
> hive, and what would cause them to lay eggs other than the abnormal
> situation of not having a queen for an extended period of time?

It is apparently not uncommon for a few workers to lay drone eggs, and
sometimes worker eggs.  The fertile eggs are layed using a process called
thelytoky.  Again, I am at the limit of my knowledge in this area.


> > In other words what would be the incentive?

The "selfish gene."  The advantage of having more of your genes passed to
the next generation.

  >What would be the advantage in "cheating" in the first place?

Ditto above.


> >Also, can anyone tell me what the chances are of worker laid drones
> passing on their genes are?

Don't know, but there are references in the Ebbersten thesis.  Let me know!


> > Does the evidence suggest that worker laid drones effectively serve
> as a last ditch way for a bee chromosome to make another bee chromosome?

I have no way to substantiate, but I've always figured that when a colony
goes laying worker due to queenlessness, that that was a last-ditch attempt
to pass the colony's genes on.

>



> >I hope you are up to sorting some of this out for some of us.

I'm honored, but I do not like to give answers when I am near the limit of
my knowledge.  This is such a case.  I take giving answers seriously, and
have been known to track down those to whom I have ever given an answer that
I later find to be erroneous.  I have no qualms about saying "I don't
know."  : )

Randy Oliver

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