John Mitchell asks: "When Danka saysWhen Danka says nonproductive does that
apply to the time after the invasion when the colony becomes a fully
functioning Cape bee colony?"
I read the article on the Internet (ABC news) and here is my interpretation:
The European Honey Bee (or AHB) colony becomes non-productive. I think he was
talking about the colony that was "under attack" by the Cape bees becoming
non-productive. Cape bees are a specialty of some beekeepers in Africa and
the impression I got is that a Cape bee colony is productive. I don't know
how they compare to EHB production, though. From what I have read, EHB is
supposed to be the most productive honey bees that there are. That's why they
were imported into Asia...because they produced more than Apis cerana. I
thought that's the reason given by some for the Varroa mite jumping host.
Layne Westover
College Station, Texas, U.S.A.
(sorry if I messed up a little on the quote at top)