From: "huestis" <buzzybee@capital.net>
Date: Wed, 4 Jul 2001 12:16:50 -0700
To: <BiologicalBeekeeping@yahoogroups.com>
Subject: Re: Righting laying worker colonies

Hi Pav,

> Are you behind the line of AHB advance (is AHB supposedly in your area)?

No AHB here. I live about three hours south of Canada. Also I use
carniolan stock/ hybrids with about 4-5 italian hives. Last season I raised
about 10 italian queens mated to local stock. Much caucasian blood(maybe
A.m.m. too) turned up,these are ferals as no one in the area keeps them. I
kept only one of these queens.It maybe that this feral stock carries this
trait? These queens aren't from that line however, but may have common
drones(feral) mated to the queens???

My thoughts:

Most of us combine these colonies before they have a chance to make a new
queen. More of us should try leting them go to see if a queen appears. It
may be that it could happen more often then we think as most of us never let them get to that stage. Is there AHB in the lines? Possible! AHB (egyptian stock for example)has been brought to the US since the late 1800's so there should be a % in most US stock even if some deny it. I think that african bees have been here for some time to tell you the truth. Mostly media hype. I say if the bees are good (regardless of race) keep them. If you think they are too aggressive requeen! Question: Why doesn't anyone talk about gentle AHB they exist? But not only the aggressive colonies. Answer: There is nothing to say about the gentle ones as they are indistinguishable between our euro stock. I have seen euro stock that could give AHB a run for there money!

Clay