> I had a real laugh about this *novel* approach.

I am glad I entertained you! On the other hand, if we always subjected new ideas to what we already think we know and reject anything that doesn't jibe with that, then we would never find out anything new!

Of course, the idea that unlimited drone rearing could reduce swarming is something we have never heard before. The principle cited is that the bees invest energy into reproducing the queens genes either via a number of new queens or via large numbers of drones, which obviously have less chance of actually succeeding in heading up new colonies (via their sperm stored in the queen of that new colony).

SO, the science is very interesting, even if highly speculative. This is the sort of thing I am interested in, and I pass this on to others hoping they too will learn to think outside of the bee box

Pete

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