Dave:
However small the effect is, it is always in the bees
favour from a survivability' point of view.

Reply:
One in 10,000 isn't bad, nor one in 20 colonies Dave, but
have you ever considered reasons for how the ratio might
drastically increase? Like:

1. Like critter vandalism in search of food knocking brood
about a bit, but still usable.

2. Same with human vandalism, not that sorrily it doesn't
happen.

3. Constant grafting with rotation of same hives used for
choosen larvae material.

4. Careless field management in the daily observation of
brood frames for pests, predators and diseases.

All these would be instances of larvae many times being
removed from a cell leaving royal jelly then to be cleaned
out and cells set back up for laying, and/or just cleaned
in general. But for that 1 in 10,000 I would suspect it
would up the odds somewhat for the newest of nursebees
being pushed into the job......to later turn into thelytoky
type bees. 

Just thought I'd mention this chain of thought for you for
wierd things we have done in the past, also timed with time
of year(temps).

Also thanks for the site for looking papers up for
references.

Respectfully submitted,

Dee A. Lusby
Small Cell Commercial Beekeeper
Moyza, Arizona
htttp://groups.yahoo.com/group/organicbeekeepers

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