Tom,
Beowulf Cooper discusses longevity in several places in The Honeybees of the
British Isles: a good bedtime read, it will send you to sleep.  To summarise
it is a GOOD THING except possibly where the bees are susceptible to nosema
or acarine (tracheal mite to our trans- Atlantic friends).  As a keen student
you must have a copy of Cooper within reach but if not let me know and I will
dig out the ISBN no etc.  If this thread continues I may quote a chunk.

I agree with you about Wedmore.  What other 70 year old book is a readable
and as relevant?

Chris Slade