Mh. Allsopp et Hr. Hepburn, SWARMING, SUPERSEDURE AND THE MATING SYSTEM OF A NATURAL-POPULATION OF HONEY-BEES (APIS-MELLIFERA-CAPENSIS), Journal of Apicultural Research, 36(1), 1997, pp. 41-48
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.