>How are you going to select for this if you requeen every year? The
commercial queen breeder certainly won't!

Chris, "certainty" does not necessarily reflect facts.

Perhaps you know something about some commercial queen breeders that I
don't, but those who I know are proud of their long-lived breeders, and may
refer to them by "name."

One of the major breeder/producers in Northern Calif has pointed out his
"Montana" queen mother to me for at least two, maybe three years.  This
queen mother colony consistently puts on weight in the crowded queen
production yard while all the others need to be fed.

Another breeder, Melanie Kirby of Zia Queens, actually gives presentations
explaining that one of her main selection criteria is the longevity of the
queens.  They prefer to breed off queens that have survived for 3-4 years.

One must be cautious about assuming things.

--
Randy Oliver
Grass Valley, CA
www.ScientificBeekeeping.com

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