Jim Fischer wrote:

"I can't imagine anyone would still be trying to run Amm hives in any 
quantity more than a
few dozen at a time, as defensive as they are, but maybe I am a softie."

Why have Amm got such a reputation for defensiveness?  I have come 
across them in Ireland from time to time and they're fine. On one 
occasion, Sue Cobey, John Hendrie, of the BBKA, and I opened a nuc of 
Amm so that Sue could get hold of a drone and demonstrate her technique 
of persuading it to evert so she can collect sperm for artificial 
insemination.

We used no smoke and none of us had veils or other protective clothing. 
We didn't get stung.

What I found most interesting was that within 3 seconds of eversion 
there was a worker attracted to the back end of the drone and licking 
the semen. There must be powerful pheromones at work!

Chris





  

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