By routine requeening we passively select for bees who can't sense a failing queen and replace her. So not only do I think it's a waste of money and time, I think it is a really bad idea. Now if a colony is not thriving and not replacing their queen, I will requeen them. But I would much rather that they would sense she is failing and replace her. In nature this is strongly selected for because if they don't they are out of the gene pool. Any selection that we avoid letting it happen is being passively selected against.
Mr Bush you have more knowledge in your little finger than I am likely to have for the rest of my life, even if I study night and day. For this reason and others, I have great respect for you, as I have stated before you are a legend in my way of thinking, sort of like EF Hutton, when you talk I listen.
I am looking at your point about nature and the gene pool. A few years back, as I understand it folks were seeking feral hives specifically for traits that the ferals had acquired after years living in the wild and on their own without the interference mankind. For one example wild bees were known to have the natural cell size of small cell as mankind had placed oversized foundation through the years to strive for a bigger bee.
I also noticed Oldbeavo made excellent points as why to requeen, as opposed to letting the bees do it themselves naturally (so to speak). I am thinking that Oldbeavo is a commercial keeper. Gentleness as he stated is a great point and quality for someone who spends so much time handling their bees.
Other points for breeding for a kind of bee may be great reproduction qualities, less tendency to swarm qualities, mite fighting abilities, disease fighting ability etc. Most of these traits should be found in natural requeening situations as you describe, except I question if natural selection passes on less tendency to swarm? These are all great reasons in themselves to Breed for specific Traits. After all, even brother Adam was seeking and breeding for a better bee in his time as I understand it. I think diversity is good.
I encourage you to press on desiring for the most natural. It is good and comforting to know that your type bee is here living and thriving well. I am grateful to you and your many years of experimenting and piling up the information from the years of hard knocks, as well as sharing that same information. I believe the natural bee will always be desired from breeders from time to time to revamp the qualities that I mentioned, to strengthen their gene pool.
I also equally want to encourage folks like Mr Van who are researching and striving to press on in seeking the desired traits that they seek in the (perfect bee), (the ultimate bee), such as I mentioned before, gentleness, reproduction qualities, less tendency to swarm qualities, mite fighting abilities, disease fighting ability etc. Therefore I do not think it is a waste of money and time to seek a better bee by breeders, such as Mr Van. Just as many Canadians breed a bee suited for their environment and needs. Now let me say, I have limited time in beekeeping and my foot will probably be my dinner tonight for saying as much as I have said, and maybe crow pie for desert.
I feel pretty comfortable in saying that there are many ways to raise bees and different ways and reasons to replace queens commercially. I salute each of you. And thank each of you for responding to this topic. Van, iddee, coolbees, Oldbeavo, Michael Bush. You have each placed some good insight and considerations which are appreciated.
Phillip