3 replies to this topic

[timrem]

Is there a benefit to having a long lifespan on bees if you have an automated system to replace dead queens? Since I have a setup with wooden and apiarist's pipes to keep my bees active while I'm away, I've been giving them the Shortest lifespan trait, resulting in plenty of spare drones to turn into DNA. I was just curious if there are any downsides to shortening my bees' lives, such as a penalty to production.

[digitallyApocalyptic]

I'm fairly certain that each trait is independent of any other trait. Thus, having a shorter lifespan on your bees would not be affecting the speed at which they are producing combs/other products. I might be wrong, but I'm fairly certain that that is how bee genetics function.

 

By the way, in response to your poll, that very much depends: when I'm farming just the products, I usually prefer normal or greater so that I don't have to replace the bees as often, barring automated systems. When farming products and/or DNA, I usually prefer short or less so that there is less turnover between generations and, as a result, more drones to gene-pool.

[ZER0-0]

Yes, and also, if i am trying to mutate them, then I would be looking for the shortest possible lifespan so it goes faster. If I am looking for the products, than a longer one is better.

[1live9]

I would say that shortest would work out the best for everything in my personal opinion. Shortest is good for mutations, stocking up on drones, and even (not completely sure) productivity for me. What I mean is that when working with my distilled bees for oil (which have longest lifespan, fastest productivity, and 5 frame housings always filled with untreated frames), my bees would only produce the oily combs every life tick for me, and since they are longest life, those life ticks seem to last a bit longer than usual, so my outcome is lower. If I were to put shortest lifespan on them I would bet that they would be very fast bees. (reminder: I am not sure if this is true so, yeah.)