Hi all

As I have said, queen supersedure is not a new problem. The literature is full of studies on the extent and source of the problem. Some studies conclude conditions in transit ruin the queens; others implicate infections cause by such conditions.


> Queen supersedure was recognized as a critical problem in the early development of the package-bee industry, and in 1935 a Federal project on supersedure was started to investigate causes and remedial measures. Experiments were set up to test many theories that had been advanced by beekeepers. By 1938 the conclusion was drawn that quality of stock was a major factor in supersedure, since the loss of queens was proportionately lower among stock groups showing high productivity and higher among those showing low productivity, based upon honey yields obtained from the colonies headed by surviving sister queens (Farrar &  Schaefer 1939). This was a fortunate conclusion even though it has since been proved erroneous. It focused attention on stock characteristics and the opportunity for improvement through selection and breeding. Some of the poorest queens tested have not been superseded, whereas not infrequently outstanding queens, judged by the quality and quantity of their brood, suddenly stopped laying and were lost. 

> In later Federal work Nosema disease was shown to be largely responsible for the abnormal supersedure of queens in package colonies (Farrar 1942; 1944).  Even though a queen may escape infection, the development of the colony is retarded more or less in proportion to the degree of infection in the original package population. The purpose of this paper is to summarize the evidence found against the protozoan Nosema apis,  particularly as it relates to package bees. Most queen losses may be grouped into five categories: (1)  Introduction losses, (2)  abnormal and drone-laying queens, (3) abnormal supersedure of queens that lay normally, (4) accidental loss during hive manipulations, and (5) the normal supersedure of failing or worn-out queens. The abnormal supersedure is  most serious   and may extend through the first 2 months after the packages are established.

Farrar, C. L. (1947). Nosema losses in package bees as related to queen supersedure and honey yields. Journal of economic entomology, 40(3), 333.

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