Laboratory Measurement of Honey Production in the Honeybee 2. Longevity or Length of Life of Caged Workers

Abstract

SummaryThe length of life of caged worker honeybees was calculated from data on their deaths, by an adapted probit-analysis computer programme. This provided less subjective and more precise estimates than previous methods.Length of life in cages with a comb was significantly correlated with weight gain of colonies from which the workers came (14 colonies, r = 0·590, P < 0·05). Analysis of variance revealed highly significant differences for the length of worker life among source colonies (P < 0·001).