What is supercedure typically triggered by?

Supercedure is a process in which a colony replaces its existing queen with a new one. This process is typically triggered by various factors related to the health and performance of the current queen, one of which can be the queen's failure to perform effectively, such as laying eggs inappropriately.

When a queen lays eggs improperly, such as on the side of the cell, it may indicate that she is not in the best health or functioning optimally. This behavior can lead to the bees perceiving that the queen may not be fit to fulfill her role, prompting them to initiate supercedure to replace her. Supercedure is a colony's natural response to ensure the continuity and success of their reproductive capabilities, with the aim of maintaining a healthy and productive hive.

Other triggers such as swarming or the introduction of a new queen represent different behavioral responses in beekeeping. Swarming is related to colony reproduction and hive overcrowding rather than a direct replacement due to the queen's shortcomings. The introduction of a new queen usually happens in a managed setting rather than as a natural supercedure process. Changes in environmental conditions could affect the overall hive dynamics but are not a direct cause of supercedure in the same way that marked deficiencies in the current queen's performance are