> a combination of a dam and dozens of sires.

That seems an optimistic estimate, as some or even many of the "dozens" of sires could be virtual clones of each other, all from the same hive.

So, what can one say about one's own open-mated queens?

Peer documented matings when the queen and drones were 10 miles (~16 km) apart
https://doi.org/10.4039/Ent89108-3

Jensen showed mating with queen and drones 9.3 miles (~15 km) apart (for those who want "verification")
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10592-005-9007-7

But Jensen also noted that 90% of all the matings he tracked occurred within 4.6 miles (7.4 km), with 50% of them within 1.5 miles (2.4 km).

Suddenly the "gene pool" looks kinda shallow for any one apiary.

How many other beeyards are within 1.5 miles of yours?  Betcha you know those fellows, and they, like you, buy queens from the same producer.  Ooops.

Over a decade ago, I remember that Sue Cobey (formerly at Ohio State, now at Washington State) was fighting with USDA APHIS over importing drone semen to add some genetic diversity to her lines of bees, and from the barriers they fabricated out of whole cloth, you would have thought she was trafficking in weapons-grade fissionable materials.  

             ***********************************************
The BEE-L mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned
LISTSERV(R) list management software.  For more information, go to:
http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html