Hi Lee

I was interested to know if you have a problem with small hive beetles
in and around Deming, NM. If so, does your novel use of the AHB
provide any resistance to this new pest?

More generally, does your use of the AHB provided any other
advantages (apart from naturally building a smaller cell), such as
resistance to other pests/diseases?

As I matter of interest, I have noted, without exception, that introducing
a queen from a more gentle strain always immediately calms
aggressive bees. Put another way, if I trap a big swarm of really mean
scutellata, I requeen them as soon as possible. As soon as a
"pedigreed" scut queen is introduced, that entire colony immediately
calms down. After a period when all the old bees have died out, the
bees are even calmer.

Barry in Kyalami, South Africa