> had a great idea while answering this question, and put down that with the
> increased population the concentration of queen substance was less (per
> bee, i mean).  Doc Morse graded the exam and when i got it back there was
> an emphatic "NO!" sprawled across that part of my answer.
 
I think he was too hard!  Its always been one of the simplified
explanations I've heard and used.  And when the queen begins to age,
she just doesn't provide enough pheromone *per bee* to maintain the
colony social order, and it leads to swarming...
 
Give yourself half credit and tell them I said it was OK!  :)
 
 
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Nick Wallingford
President - National Beekeepers Assn of NZ
NZ beekeeping: http://www.wave.co.nz/pages/nickw/nzbkpg.htm
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