Hi All
 
I have enjoyed reading the posts from Andy, Lloyd and Roy dealing
with among other things the USDA and African bees.
 
First - if one develops and chemical product one does it to sell it
and make money. An example, Zantac, the ulcer 'cure' promoted for
many years (invented early 80's) cures a patient for 3 months. This
is what the pharm people (who are very similar to the farm pesticide
people) call an anuity medication. You come back.
 
A patent on such a medication lasts between 10 and 20 years depending
on the country.
 
Hence, as the patent runs out it is good to find that it causes
cancer, has lost effect etc and launch a new product. After all, if
you held tha patent to the only cure you made lots of money, and
could beat the competition finding other cures. In this way one
elbows out the competition. A dirty world.
 
If one can get a government to help you, by for instance paying it to
ban other treatments etc it helps. (eg India - can only use
locally made chemicals if available)
 
As far as the African Bee and Weavers go, I am sure a bee breeder as
competant as they are would pick up any africanised behaviour in the
bees.
 
A well known african beekeeper, Mike Schmolke in Zimbabwe has over
the years bred genuine peaceful pure african honey bees. These hives
can be opened without smoke and worked gently in the supers. Brood
requires a puff of smoke. They are slighly more aggressive than a
euro hive - but are much more productive.
 
If Weavers have a good selection strategy, which they must, it would
surmise that their wild mated queens selected for these
characterisitcs that do mate with AHB drones will probably eventually
yield these better traits.
 
Remember: the Buckfast bee contains I think A.m.monticula - a bee
obtained from the highlands of Kenya - if you analyse this bee
genetically it is basically AHB that sits on hill tops. If brother
Adam could produce a decent strain with AHB, then any other competent
beekeeper can too. ( Mike worked with  Brother Adam)
 
Beware of Beeg Brother. (In my country we have Beeg Brother too - but
a slightly more user friendly one)
 
Keep well
 
Garth
 
Garth Cambray           Camdini Apiaries
Grahamstown             Apis mellifera capensis
Eastern Cape Prov.
South Africa
 
Time = Honey
 
After careful consideration, I have decided that if I am ever a V.I.P
the I. may not stand for important.
(rather influential, ignorant, idiotic, intelectual, illadvised etc)