Gavin

The vast majority of imports are of a continental race of B. terrestris (how 
stupid is that?!) and they are much brighter than our own race of B. 
terrestris (more like B. lucorum and more likely to be confused with that 
species as workers).  I suspect that the imported bees don't survive well in 
the UK.

Hi Gavin

Yes, I said terrestris, but of course they cannot be reliably distinguished 
from lucorum in the field - although, like you, I believe that lucorum has a 
brighter, clear yellow band  than terrestris (rather like comparing ivy 
pollen with that from willow) and a white tail rather than the buff of 
terrestris.  Our queens here do vary - so we may be seeing terrestris and 
lucorum, or just a  mix of native and imported terrestris.  Whatever, we are 
having a wonderful week of warm sunshine and light winds, the garden hums 
gently, winter losses appear to be well down on last year (so far) and 
everything is right with the world - well, except for the government, the 
stock market, interest rates for savers, the housing market crash, rocketing 
prices, the unemployment figures...
Best wishes

Peter Edwards
beekeepers at stratford-upon-avon.freeserve.co.uk
www.stratford-upon-avon.freeserve.co.uk/

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