Hi Dave


> > Who ever said the average supersedure queen is better than the
> > average swarm queen has to be some kind of nut.
>
> Not wishing to stir up George's wrath or ruffle his 'horsefeathers', but
it
> does depend on what features you are trying to propagate by breeding...
>
> Thare are some features like 'longevity' and 'supercedure' itself that
occur
> in supercedure strains. These features are highly prized in AMM strains of
> bee.

I hope you are right about the above.  As a newbee I went to some trouble 12
months ago to purchase a supercedure strain and have tolerated their other
vices in order to preserve this aspect of their behaviour.  I hope to select
in future from within my present strain to reduce things like defensiveness
without losing the supercedure trait.  My one worry was that late queens may
have difficulty in finding a plentiful supply of drones which could compete
for her.  Fortunately I seemed to have plenty of drones throughout last
summer and even found drones struggling through some of my mouse guards well
into November this winter.  I wonder if the habit of producing late drones
comes hand in hand with the supercedure trait.
I intend in the short term to make increase by the emergency impulse so as
not to select for the swarming trait and ruin the years of selection carried
out by the bees' previous keeper.  Perhaps I'm "some kind of nut".

Best wishes

Steve Rose, Derbyshire, England

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