> > Do the methods that the queen breeder uses have an affect on the
> > quality of queens?
>
> Various reports over the years have shown pretty conclusively that
> the conditions under which queens are raised is generally more
> important than the genetics (assuming reasonably closely related
> strains).  Well-raised queens from average to poor stock
> outperformed queens from good stock that were poorly raised. >>
> -------------------------------
>
> This is not what I have observed Allen.  From my own queen
> production I have noticed that queens from good strains are always
> better, even if raised under non optimal conditions, that queens
> from a poor strain raised under ideal conditions.  The point that
> should be clarified is what do we mean by "poor conditions".  If we
> mean qeens raised from cells from cell finisher colonies that are
> not properly stimulated and that are loaded with too many cells,
> then maybe you are right.
 
That's *exactly* what I mean.
 
>  Anyway I would be curious to read the
> "various reports" you are refering to.
 
Yes, as I recall, the study I remember best was one where scientists
gathered specimen queens from a number of US breeders and installed
them and ran them a season and compared honey production.  It varied
from about nothing to a bumper yield -- all in the same yard.
 
They then raised daughter queens from them under controlled and
similar conditions and repeated the experiment to find little
difference in production between the various hives.
 
The conclusion:  That the quality of the queen raising methods
employed by the suppliers was responsible for most of the variation
between the original queens.
 
Of course one has to assume that only half the original genetics was
present in the daughters, but even  then...
 
I forget where I read this sometime in the last 30 years or so, but
remember the moral of the story.  I suspect it was in ABC/XYZ or The
Hive and the Honeybee in one of their various editions released over
the years.
 
Maybe someone on the list can put a finger on the source, and perhaps
correct any errors in my recollection, and perhaps even cite other
studies.
 
Regards
 
Allen
 
W. Allen Dick, Beekeeper                                         VE6CFK
RR#1, Swalwell, Alberta  Canada T0M 1Y0
Internet:[log in to unmask] & [log in to unmask]
Honey. Bees, & Art <http://www.internode.net/~allend/>