[WillH]

I installed my package exactly 45 days ago. Is it safe to assume that all the bees that I see flying are babies of the queen that came with the package? I just want to see whether her offspring is true Italian.
Thanks.

 

[Andrew Dewey]

Sounds right - though I'd be surprised if there is any such thing as a "true" Italian anymore.

 

[Jeff G]

The books say that average worker life is 35 days. That being said, I have one hive that is a swarm that is 63 days old and I know that some of the bees flying are from the original swarm. I also have a package that is 77 days old, which had a Carniolan queen on what seems to be Italians and the the Carnolians are mostly what is flying still but not all.

 

[RayMarler]

The bees don't start aging until they become field bees. Nurse bees that have never done field service are the bees that last through the winter, 3 to 6 months of time, depending on where you are at. So, all the field bees from a package will be gone in 45 days, but the nurse bees that were there when installed will then be the field bees 45 days later, hopefully with new brood, or close to a second round of brood, emerging as well by that time.