Allen writes:
This is the first time I have heard any suggestion that the retinue is composed of the same individual bees over any significant period of time. etc.

* This is the first time I have ever heard that it makes the slightest difference what sort of bees ride along in the cage, other than if they are already old, they might not last another week. As I mentioned before, the purpose of the "attendants" is probably more for morale. Bees hate to be alone.

* I was the one who used the phrase "pluck the bees off the comb". I have raised and caged queens and that's what we did. We seldom got stung doing it, I might add. If you can't grap a bee without getting stung, you probably can't grab a queen without hurting her.

Peter
Ithaca, NY
U S A