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Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology

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Subject:
From:
Allen Dick <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Sat, 17 Jul 1999 04:51:34 -0600
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> I think this illustrates the point I've been trying to make for some
> time. Taking larvae too old will mean a loss of size (weaker) a loss
> of Ovarioles (less eggs) and a general reduction in queen
> performance

I don't think that this point has ever been in dispute.  We have all
been familiar with this from the time we first read about queen rearing.

What *is* in dispute is whether, in fact, emergency queens are
necessarily generated from old larvae, and what quality can be expected
in emergency queens raised under good conditions.

We *know* that humans can -- and do graft older larvae -- and I am sure
that this happens even in commercial queen breeding when inexperienced
help are being trained.  At least it has in our operation when we were
teaching new folks to graft.

What we need to establish beyond a doubt is 1.) whether the bees in fact
do choose older larvae when they have a choice and 2.) whether the
queens that result are significantly inferior to a queen purchased thru
the mail.

> apart from regressive behaviour.

Hmmm.  here we go again?

> It matters not if you've got 3, 300, 3000 hives poor
> performance should not be tolerated. Only a poor business man will
allow second
> best stock to persist, especially if he knows there is an
> alternative.

We are agreed on that -- all other factors being equal.

My point is that I suspect that the commercially raised and shipped
queens are often the inferior and poor-performing item.

allen

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