> There are other ways of accounting for this phenomenon.. It seems > to me that such queens may sometimes be raised from eggs that have > been lying neglected in some chilly corner of the combs, until > found and tended by the workers. I do not know for certain, but I > think it likely that bees' eggs may remain inert when neglected in > this way, but may well retain their viability. Well, maybe, but here is an equally improbable(?), but plausable explanation for eggs showing up in queenless hives: bees are known to fill cells that have eggs with honey or nectar in a heavyy flow. Are such eggs preserved and viable when uncovered? I had though that eggs would neeed to breathe and always hatch after a definite period of time, but when I stop to reflect, I realise i really know very little about them. 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/>