Dear John Sewell

I may be completely WRONG, but it seems to me that you have not yet experienced an AHB attack.
I write from Brazil, and certainly did, I would NOT (repeat NOT) start to breed from these bees. It may be (and I do stress the MAY) easier to breed for the good traits, but the risk is high. Especially if you can find the same traits elsewhere in european (and now also russian) genes.
If it were "only" for the scutellata's aggressivity, but you would have to consider other traits, like absconding and excessive swarming, and turning everything that comes in (e.g. pollen and nectar) into brood, because they don't need to stock for winter, that should be breeded out....

Deodato Wirz Vieira
"Raising islands of gentle bees in an ocean of african aggressivity)


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