Hi All

Allen said...
> People often talk about supercedure as if it somehow reduces
> production, but in my understanding, it should not.  In fact, I
> should think that supercedure might often increase populations
> if the two queens co-exist for some time, and should in the
> long term assure continuity of the colony.

My 'take' on this is that supercedure protects the genes of the colony from
dying out due to adverse weather, a faulty queen or a failing queen, but it
can be just a 'spare queen on the hoof.'.

The bees that I have had over the last 20 years may go 5 or 6 generations in
succession without swarming and it is common for mother and daughter to
co-exist for months or even one or two seasons.

This repeated supercedure does not result in any 'deterioration' of quality.

Allen also said...
> To me it seems that what *could* reduce production is not the
> supercedure, but the conditions that bring supercedure about in
> the first place -- like a failing queen -- not the supercedure itself.

I do not think it is automatic that supercedure is caused by faults...
Certainly supercedure can rectify faults and disasters, but I do not think
they are the 'only'  cause.

In the area where I live, supercedure is much more common than in regions
with more favourable weather, but as Jerry said, Beekeepers do not recognise
the full extent and frequency that it occurs, even though it is more
noticed.


Best Regards & 73s... Dave Cushman, G8MZY
Beekeeping & Bee Breeding Website...
http://website.lineone.net/~dave.cushman