Peter writes:
* The only defense, in my opinion, is good beekeeping.
Requeen with marked queens of non-African stock, kill mean
hives, & kill feral hives. Wild bees in the woods have
always been a reservoir for disease, and now they are a
potential reservoir for African genes. It all depends on
the diligence of the beekeeper. 

Reply:
Sorry to say, but I do not believe in marked queens due to
it causing superceeding more and marking is not natural. I
do believe in requeening mean hives or absorbing them into
others. As for wild bees in the woods (notice you didn't
say ferals ;>)), they are the BEST source for clean bees,
clean wax, NO DISEASE problems, and sorted out are NOT
IMPOV a source for so-called African genes. Yes it does
depend upon the diligence of the beekeeper, always has.

Peter continues
 It's just that if you have Africans in your area, *they*
are the local stock, and you become part of that. 

Reply:
That is why you need to become aware of what scuts are, and
what old-fashioned Italians were in coloration and size, so
you can acclimitize for health while sizing down to match
the ferals, so you can end up with honeybees that fit your
own area and are easy to work. Nothing wrong with being a
part of that circle, it's being AFRAID that is wrong, then
killing needlessly.

Respectfully submitted,

Dee A. Lusby
Small Cell Commercail Beekeeper
Moyza, Arizona
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/organicbeekeepers/


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