In a message dated 09/11/2008 01:08:29 GMT Standard Time,  [log in to unmask] 
writes:

smaller  bees will be mistaken for Africanized Bees, which is utter nonsense 


I have a small apiary on Portland (UK). I noticed that in 2 of the 3 hives  
the bees were of different sizes whereas in the third they were uniformly  
sized.  The 2 hives were using comb of their own devising (as described in  an 
earlier mail) but the third was on foundation-based comb.  The 2 hives  seemed to 
be 'doing' better than the third.  On the other hand it was in  those 2 hives 
that (in September) I saw my first varroa mites of the year in my  own hives.
 
Chris

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