Hi Dee

> Can you describe the parameters for qualifying the
> background level you talk about,

It will vary between strains and races of bees, but not a drastic variation.

Strength of hive has more to do with distribution of queen pheromone and 
conventional laying worker behaviour. Hive volume has an effect on 
anarchy, as the greater the separation between the main core of the nest 
and the group of workers exhibiting anarchistic behaviour the lower the 
effect of queen pheromone will be.

Locality, I think is a minor issue that would be absorbed by (or related 
to) the difference in strain that is caused by locality.

There is a feature that can skew the data when dealing with anarchic 
behaviour and worker policing... In some instances a group of 
'supersisters' (one patriline) can screen (defend) the anarchistic bees 
from those doing the egg eating and thus that hive (colony) will have a 
larger number of worker produced drones reaching maturity.

We are glibly talking about this, but we should bear in mind that we are 
talking about very low levels of these unusual behaviours, compared to 
normal 'queen laid' eggs.


Regards & Best 73s, Dave Cushman, G8MZY
http://website.lineone.net/~dave.cushman or http://www.dave-cushman.net
Short FallBack M/c, Build 6.02/3.1 (stable)

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