>
> >Unfortunately, nobody I know is looking into the issues I have raised:
> whether or not the current methods of propagation are really the best.


Hey, you know me, Pete!  I make a point of rearing queen cells in the
breeder queen colony, in order to help transfer epigenetic factors via the
jelly (the limitation is that you can't rear more than about 50 daughters at
a time from any particular breeder, but that suits me fine).

Re the propagation of successful microbial communities, we make a point of
homogenizing frames containing brood and beebread throughout our operation.
 I also do not requeen via a queen alone in a cage--instead I requeen by
adding a thriving nuc with their queen mother undisturbed.  This practice
introduces the apparently successful inoculum of microflora.

-- 
Randy Oliver
Grass Valley, CA
www.ScientificBeekeeping.com

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