> It is his opinion that a mated queen subjected to
> cold temperatures will have permanent damage
> done to her ovaries resulting in infertility.

I recall something to that effect coming from a Penn State study when they
were trying to determine the conditions queens are subjected to when they
are shipped twixt there and here.  When I first read, "reference was to
temperatures below
70 degrees Fahrenheit", I thought, "That could only happen in shipping."  As
others have observed, a queen would never get that cold in a colony.  Cold
day mating flight?  Doubtful she'd fly.

Anyway, I don't recall exactly the Penn State study (it was done in the
Jennifer Findley days), but there was documented a definite cause and effect
of cold on queen performance, but I seem to recall that the cause was more
extreme (temperatures far below 70dF) and am not sure the effect was total
infertility; I think it was more along the lines of poor performance and
quick supersedure.

Aaron Morris - thinking baby it's cold outside!