> Ps. I believe Dr. Erickson's comments back up the posts about the things
> Blane White and I saw and heard at the ABF convention in Savannah 2002.

Actually, I have just reviewed the BEE-L discussion from the start (which
was difficult due to lack of line wrap in the archives) and I would like to
point out that -- unless I missed something -- no one contested anything
Blane said he saw or heard, or his carefully considered and written
thoughts on the matter.  They are well worth re-reading, particularly the
questioning whether scutellata, capensis, and/or mellifera are separate
species and may not interbreed very successfully for more than one
generation or so.  (I hope I got that right).  What Blane reported matched
quite closely what I heard and what I concluded after hearing the same
talk -- or a version of it -- in Phoenix at about the same time, and after
my visit to the lab.

The controversy that arose on the topic here on BEE-L was strictly over
conjecture and, perhaps, an unfortunate use of words and terminology.
AFAIK, there is still no evidence -- that any scientist would stake a
reputation on -- that capensis is involved in what is being observed in AZ.
The pollination in California came and went, as did bees from all over the
US, and AFAIK we are not hearing of the doom that was predicted by some.

That is not to say that all the speculation and conjecture was wrong.  Who
knows; time will tell.  But, if that speculation was on the money, why then
is the spread of these phenomena not being reported as we would expect.  I
know Gloria was very careful what she said, and so was Blane.

What is actually happening out there?  Does anyone know names, places,
numbers and dates?

allen
http://www.internode.net/honeybee/diary/