Last year I bought 15 queens from a queen breeder. When the queens came they 
looked fine. We got them mid May. They were introduced into 10 production 
hives and 5 nucs. The queens were released by the workers eating the candy 
plug. Two were killed upon release. Three or four were superceded within two 
weeks. The queens that started laying were laying brood patches that looked 
like winter brood patches. None of the queens were laying patches that would 
support the hive population. It took the ones not superceded 6 weeks to lay 
a respectable patch of brood. Except for 3 all had been superceded by July 
1. These queens were replaced by our own queens, and they have done well, 
except for two that were superceded.
Lets discuss commercial queen survival. I would like to know how the rest of 
you have faired with your commercially produced queens. I have been told 
that what I experienced is not too far off normal, but I have also talked to 
beekeepers that have had nearly 100% survival.
Dave

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