From: "deelusbybeekeeper" <deelusbybeekeeper@excelonline.com>
Date: Fri, 6 Jul 2001 17:48:00 -0700
To: <BiologicalBeekeeping@yahoogroups.com>
Subject: Re: Punic bees

Hi to all on Biological Beekeeping

Robert writes:

> R.O.B. Manley, in 'Honey Farming' (1946, reprinted by Northern Bee Books,
> 1985), pp 22-3, says with regard to a certain John Hewitt:
>
> "He managed to get from North Africa some Tunisian bees which he
> christened 'Punics'. This was about 1892, I think, and Frank Benton had
> brought some to the USA about the same time. However Hewitt started to push
> these bees. He described them as being absolutely faultless in every respect,
> and advertised virgins by hundreds. He went too far in describing them as
> 'proof against foul brood'. "

Reply:

This is just excellent to have you write this information. I told Clay
earlier in discussion on comb size that Hewitt measurerd 4.9mm for feral in
the Mass Area, in the upper North East from early books I have read.

Also in my file on self-fertile workers, I have compiled over the years,
Punic/Tunisia bees, along with the Cape Bee, and a few other small blacks,
are known and published for this trait..Though I think the Punic bees were
puslished for it first!! I'd have to check.

Since Hewitt sold in Clay's local regional area, it is then understandable
that the feral small black he is seeing would carry this trait if still
left, like the early egyptian bees now begin found in the southern part of
our country

It is the brown/black tiger tail queens of these bees that are so great!
(IMPOV). The other black queens with red spider legs are great too whether
all black or copperish under.

Thank you Robert for the information! Pieces are falling into place for what
we all have to work with. Benton's areas too then should be a bountiful
source for good feral genetic material also.

Dee