Ruth:
You write: managed to establish a viable mixed honeybee
> colony, with workers of a strain of the European *A. mellifera*, and workers of a strain of *A. cerana* from the Far-East, and an *A. cerana* queen. Workers of the two species dance with very different waggle-dance durations,

Question:
I have seen old research papers of cerana and millifera in same hive being watched, But you seem to reference more here then the dancing/foraging side of things. But since I have read old research paper of both races in same hive I cannot doubt you saying this about the dancing and explaining what you are seeing. Now what I am questioning here is the fact taht you say "managed to establish a viable mixed honeybee colony". How is the word viable used here? meaning viable because both are being maintained in same colony and working together in co-habitat? or......viable in the context that the colony of mixed races is joined mating wise, though you mention "a mixed honeybee colony" which to me is one colony and how is mixed successful with one, as one can be non-evolutionary and thus not successful for viability for continuance. Can you please explain more the viability part of what you mean and reference here? Now I also say this because I know the
 mideast area is supposedly written about where east meets west and in Asia Minor were bee races came together this way early on, which would parallel. But that is old writing, and this is new and actually seeing.

Sincerely,

Dee A. Lusby
Small Cell Commercial Beekeeper


      

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