John,
In my opinion and the opinion of most beekeepers is not that the
protective equipment need be different but that when disturbed they
sting so fast that the alarm odor is impossible to mask.

 I had a hobby beekeeper drive in the other day and he said he had been
stung 20 odd times thru his bee suit and wondered what the problem was.
I asked him if when he got a sting did he smoke the area of the sting to
mast the odor. Hello!

A fellow beekeeper called last year to see if i would work his college
helper while he was gone for a couple days. I said sure! We went out to
pull honey supers. The bees were after him right away but not bothering
me. I asked him when was the last time he washed the venom out of his
bee suit. Had to drive all the way beck to apiary to loan him a bee
suit. Couldn't get the smile off his face the rest of the day.

Most beginners with a book in one hand and a hive tool in the other need
to be protected from AHB.

>    Commercial honey producers with permanent apiary sites may find their
> operations become even quicker and more efficient as they find themselves and
> their employees doubly motivated to spend as little time as possible mucking
> around in or near the hives.
I am afraid the work wouldn't get done on a timely basis as they would
be hiding in the truck all day waiting for quiting time!
I am having trouble getting help but now maybe would that improve if
they knew they were killer bees. I wonder if i would still be able to
afford insurance?

Many friends of mine have been south to check these mean buggers out
first hand. After they got back years ago i decided to stay home,save my
money and take their word for their aggressivness. How many stings per
minute did the researchers say?  I will email you a phone number to call
if you want and you can talk to a beekeeper that spent two weeks working
AHB. His comments are not for the general publics ears.

>    Commercial pollination could be hit hard by quarantines, especially
> cross-country migratory beekeeping. Is there anybody on the list who operates
> in Texas and has some more information about how this quarantine works?
Last i heard there is a migratory beekeeper with around 3,000 colonies
which has never been able to leave the Rio Grande Valley. The story is
old so maybe he has left by now with just his equipment. I heard the
story at the Austin ABF convention from Texas beekeepers. Maybe a Texas
beekeeper will post.

> Obviously, it means you can't take colonies out of the quarantine area, but
> can you move colonies around within the quarantine area?
Yes!I am sure on this point.
Tried to ignore this post but couldn't resist!
Bob Harrison U.S.A.