>> >It appears that calorie restriction extends life expectancy.  Research 
>> >on
>> a number of species indicate that a 30% decrease in intake has an effect. 
>> I
>> don't know that honeybees have been included

Colonies which are allowed to become short of honey stores in fall will fly 
themselves to death looking for food in my experience, and consequently 
become worthless for wintering purposes, even if fed.  Such colonies often 
die before Christmas.

That observation would seem to dismiss the idea on a colony-wide level, and 
I 'm not sure how calorie restriction could occur for individuals in a 
society where food is shared around constantly, and where, if one bee is 
starving, it will be found that the others are too. (Drones excepted). 

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