Hi all

I have been thinking a lot for the past few years about colony lifespan, and how it reflects the health and/or vigor of the honey bee colony. I am looking for hard data on how long individual colonies last, without intervention. By intervention, that would mean requeening, adding brood, etc. 

The lifespan would begin either as the establishment of a swarm, a nuc or a package, and would end either by death to disease, queenlessness, or other factors. 

Disease and pest control measures would be considered an important factor, but not an intervention by this definition, as it might prolong the lifespan of the colony, but it would still be the same colony, as opposed to requeening or adding brood from another colony. 

Thanks for considering this.

PLB

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