>>I talked with Tom about this. The other candidate was bee behavior. 
Small colonies that swarmed often breaking the brood cycle.

That would be highly dependant behavior as well as the size void.  Ferals 
that I keep very close tabs on (one in a bee tree and several others in 
logs slated to be cut-out) in my front yard, threw a single prime swarm 
and the impulse subsided the rest of the season.   

IMO, it is false to insinuate that ferals are all small colonies.
 
>Don't forget the colonies that swarmed will have 3-4 weeks without
>laying queen until virgin is mated. 

Not necessarily true considering the varied environmental influences.  
Also, I am not aware of any study concerning the swarming impulse in feral 
honeybees found in a woodland habitat. The nest structures would be vastly 
different from that found in domestic bee hives, and may have an influence 
on swarming impulse Or delaying of departure.  So there is really not 
sufficient evidence YET to support the suggested candidates for resistance 
in feral colonies.

Regards,

Joe Waggle ~ Derry, PA   
‘Bees Gone Wild Apiaries' 
http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/HistoricalHoneybeeArticles
FeralBeeProject.com

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