I'm here in Kansas City.  Curiously enough it turns out to be in Missouri.
Anyhow, I thought I'd pass on a few items of the many that I picked up over
the past week, here and in Baton Rouge.

* The Russian bees are the Real Thing.  All the co-operators agree, and are
going over to 100% Russian as fast as they can.  These bees require no
treatments for either mite and are as productive as the domestic controls.
They winter on less feed and in smaller clusters than most domestic US bees.
The only downside apparent is that for early pollination, more work -- or
more hives -- may be required.

The word is to be sure to get Russian stock only from suppliers that have
had Russians for more than one year and who have brought in new Russian
breeders for several years to ensure a high degree of Russian genetics, and
a mix  of Russian blood.  Of course controlled mating in reasonable
isolation goes without saying.

* The SHB found in Australia turns out to be a different variety than the
one in the US.  This is significant in that Canadian authorities, after an
initial closure of package and queen imports from Aus in response to the
original SHB disclosure, reopened Canada to Australian stock after
assurances that any exports would be from locations 14 miles or more from
known SHB apiaries.

Does Canada know that this is a new pest, or did Canada make an decision
based on the assumption that the Aus beetle is no different from the one in
the US, and which was found briefly in Manitoba before control measures were
taken?  Will added precautions be in order?  Will the Canada border be
closed again to Australian imports?  Should it be?

There's more, but I'm out of time.

Oh, yes, I did meet Bob Harrison in the flesh.

allen
http://www.internode.net/HoneyBee/