Regarding the drones. Half of the equation: queens and drones, is the
drones. Eliminate the drones from all of the hives except those showing
traits we wish to promote. Are drones loyal to their home hive? The unwanted
drones could be trapped as they return to their hive and be eliminated from
the potential breeding stock.

reply:
The above brings up all the things we have be talking about. First, the
drones do not represent an equal half at all. Drones are haploid for one
thing, for another -- the queen mates with several drones which may not be
even remotely alike.

Second, how will you get rid of all the drones you don't want in other
people's hives, trees, etc.? The only way this would be possible would be if
you are the sole beekeeper on some island somewhere. (This has been done, of
course)

Finally, if you were able to isolate the drones and queens you think you
want, you are headed straight for an inbreeding situation. I have seen
heavily inbred bees: most of the eggs fail to hatch. The bees cann't build
up and and the colony fails pretty quickly.

Anyone interested in queen rearing would do well to read Laidlaw's work.
Line breeding is possible, but it must be done with a enough population to
prevent inbreeding, -- and a closed population, or you get nowhere.

pb

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