[log in to unmask]  wrote:

"Bob, You talk about doors slamming in your face, I'm not surprised.
Why would they want to talk with you if they know you are taking statements
that were said in private and now making them public as if it was gospel?
I'm surprised it is being allowed on this list in this form. She did not
represent the lab when she spoke to you in private, she represented herself.
The lab representation was her talk in public. Please don't continue to
support this one private remark as something that it isn't. We must always
guard our private conversations."

Hold on there Mark.  I was also at the meeting and the remarks were in public - questions after her prepared talk and Dr Hoffman was representing the Tuscon Lab.
Her talk was interesting and this was only a small part of it but she was describing the difficulties they were having keeping european colonies in an afticanized area.  This could be an issue in the future in pollination sets in California and so is very relevant research.  The taking over of european colonies by the africanized bees was very interesting and very quickly brought to mind the cape bee issue since the characters of the bees being described really did sound more cape than scut i.e. dark intercasts and dark bees of african origin.  I really don't think they have tried to determine if it is cape bees or scuts as they only say african vs european orgin for the bees.  Kerr did import cape bees and in AZ the bees are in a more temperate climate which could select for the cape traits but whatever the source I had the same thoughts as Bob that she was describing cape bees not scuts which is a little different twist on the issue.

Dr Taylor from KS has some data that suggests the african and european bees may be different species from a biological point of view.  The first generation hybrids do ok but the second generation hybrids seem to break down and not survivie very well at all.  Queens also show selective mating to drones or their type but the african queens are more selective than the europeans.  This reproductive isolation could explain the observations that the african type bees tend to take over in areas where they can survive instead of blending into the resident european bee population as would be expected if they were the same species and therefore fully reproductively compatable.

An interesting subject and one where we need answers.


FWIW

blane



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Blane White
MN Dept of Agriculture
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