It would be interesting to find out if longevity is genetic or
behavioral.
The reason from the behavioral standpoint is that if the bees
live longer because they are doing less, as they do over winter,
then there would be no gain. If they do less foraging, they would
live longer. Do they, like I do, like to take it easier as they
grow older? So young bees would be more vigorous. I seem to
recall that bees wear out their wings after a time, so would
longivity really help in foraging?
From a genetic point of view, if the queen lays equally in a long
lived hive as a shorter lived hive, would crowding and swarming
occur earlier and more often? Seems so.
So there may be as many drawbacks as benefits to longevity in
bees.
Bill Truesdell
Bath, Me