I hesitate to pursue this, but my reference below was not to the distribution or
not of queens in the U.S., but in Brazil before the legendary "escape of the
26". I worked in the same building and beeyards with Steve Taber for about ten
years, so I am well aware of the Baton Rouge connections and project.
   - JE

Bob & Liz wrote:

> John wrote:
>
> rumor  has been for decades that this was not triggered by an accidental
> release, but that  queens were being bred and distributed from the imported
> african stock.

> Bob wrote:
> A friend of mine worked at the Baton Rouge bee lab during the era of the
> release. Later he became a commercial beekeeper and we became friends. We
> have talked a great deal about Dr. Kerr. He says Dr. Kerr ALWAYS told him
> the release was accidental. The whole release could have been prevented with
> a queen/ drone trap on the hives.
> Dr. Kerr created quite a stir later (when) he shipped semen to Baton Rouge.