SWARMING, SUPERSEDURE AND THE MATING SYSTEM OF A NATURAL-POPULATION OF HONEY-BEES (APIS-MELLIFERA-CAPENSIS)

Observations on the natural incidence of swarming and supersedure in 3 0 colonies of Cape bees (Apis mellifera capensis) over 4 years are ana lysed ecologically and demographically. Swarming and supersedure occur in different seasons but with similar frequencies. Swarming is correl ated with an influx of pollen and increased drone production; supersed ure with declining pollen availability and decreased brood production. Neither swarming nor supersedure can be predicted by prior queen repl acement events in a colony. Whether a virgin queen is the product of e ither a swarm or Supersedure colony, probability favours matings with drones of swarm queen origin in both swarming and supersedure seasons. Because of frequency differences in the timing of swarming and supers edure there are more swarming than supersedure events on a yearly basi s. Among supersedure queens, queens produced from the diploid eggs of laying workers are relatively rare.