[GregB]

That looks exactly like my queens, but they are quite calm and overwinter well in Illinois, so not a lot if any African.

My opinion is African genes only matter if the bees get mean, or they don't overwinter where you are. Bee races are all mixed up so any bee color can be any genetics, unless you buy only artificially inseminated queens.

+1
Outside of 100% controlled environment, these talks of the "bee-looks" are meaningless.
A typical case in the US - open-mated hybrids of whatever with whatever, with (whatever*whatever) outcomes.

PS: superficially I like the dark bees;
I want to believe the dark bees are better for the North;
is this true?
heck, of course I don't know;
call it fetish if you want, LOL.