*Hi Peter
I'm not sure if much more can be profitably be added to this subject but
just to answer a couple of your points*


>  increased swarming tendency, running on the comb and increased aggression
>> within 3 or
>>
> 4 years. It is a mute [assume you mean moot]    *thanks :)*  point whether
> these changes are due to Amm genes or
> the imported stock.
>
> Certainly not traits that I recognise in any reasonably pure A.m.m. that I
> have seen - but certainly applies to crosses with exotic stock.
>

*Have a look at Ruttner, The Dark Honey Bee, p19 "Brood rearing starts late
and increases slowly to a peak in mid summer which is definitely slower than
with other races"
Then page 26 " swarming tendency varies considerably....very low in the
north of England and high in the south"
Now page 27 The behaviour of the Dark bee on the comb is nervous everywhere
throughout the area of distribution. The bees never sit quietly on the
comb..."
Some of those traits at least are well documented.*

*So where is this paragon of apicultural virtue, does it exist or is it just
an aspiration?
*


>  Amm enthusiats have yet to produce for sale...
>>
>
> That is because a core philosophy of BIBBA has been to encourage members to
> find good stock locally and then improve it - not to 'import' from other
> parts of the country.  My own view is that this is fine for those who are
> lucky enough to live in areas with good stock, but for those of us (like me)
> living in an area where the predominant bees are bad-tempered mongrels
> created by years of imports (not least by the NBU it has to be said when
> they were located here up to 1994) then bringing in good stock is the only
> answer.  We are now beginning to see breeding groups emerging - BIBBA
> currently has around 30 - and it is likely that more stock will become
> available once they have satisfied local needs; there is a great deal
> happening.


*So still none available then, but I would be interested in trying some as
and when they become available, happy to be proved wrong am not holding my
breath.
*

>
>
>  I sometimes wonder if Amm enthusiats are more concerned with conservation
>> than beekeeping,
>>
>
> Since when was conservation a bad thing?
>

*Not a bad thing at all, conserving a wild animal or rare breed is laudable,
but be realistic about the traits, in the majority of its area of
distribution Amm  has been systematically replaced by better performing
easier to handle bees. In most areas Amm will be out performed by other
races and hybrids.
*
All the best Phil

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