> In it, Danny Weaver calmly  announces that his stock is part African.
 > These bees have been sold all over the US.

I recall Danny discussing his project back at Apimondia in Vancouver.  
Africanization was denied at the time as I recall.  Back then, no one 
could admit having any AHB as the authorities were not tolerant of any 
hint of AHB at the time.

Since then, in the mid-2000s, Weaver bees were 'unofficially' tried in 
Canada, but were too hot at the time.  I can't recall how they wintered.

Anyhow, the Weaver story -- and the Lusby story -- have always been an 
open secret to anyone who gave the matter any thought at all.

Seems Danny got it right and has achieved manageable and productive 
stock.  I'd like to hear from users, though who will confirm the temper 
and production.

Seems some have reservations, but that is true of any stock.  Bee stock 
temper can vary a lot depending on region.  I've seen real mean bees 
turn into pussycats after being moved to another province, and 
productivity of a stock depends on how well it is matched to the flow 
patterns of a region.

It is funny how there are things everyone knows, but nobody talks 
about.  African genes were introduced by the USDA back in the 1970s as 
has been discussed here from time to time, but it seems to be one of 
those things we all 'forget'.

AHB has always been -- in my mind -- the secret of the Lusby success.  
At the time I first visited in 2002, Ed and Dee were actively breeding 
bees and I did not find their stock too nasty.  It was January, though, 
and clusters were small.  Even then, we saw a swarm.

Since then the Lusbees seem to have gotten less manageable, judging by 
the videos we were offered.  I know Dee has had her hands full since Ed 
died and perhaps is not working on breeding as much. Although the 
Lusbees are robust and disease -resistant, I have often asked for 
production reports and have never received a straight answer.

So, AHB is definitely being managed in US operations, with some success, 
and the AHB component seems to be the ticket to varroa-tolerant bees.

The questions then are whether they have been bred to where they are 
safe for neighbourhoods and whether they are as productive as EHB 
managed with treatments.



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