I agree that the sky will not fall if AHB gets spread all over the place by IMO migratory beekeepers.
I mean yeh we can deal with it as beekeepers.

IMO packages and caged queens are mostly a sideliner hobbyist product and are more closely
watched, then 1000's of migratory colonies where a hot colony can spread their genetics for
months before a migratory beekeeper notices them. I have not met many migratory beekeepers
who have a lot of spare time for things like that either eh?

Anyhow the last post illustrated my major concern and that is the publics perception about "bees"
if AHB is documented in numerous northern states and over a large area of the USA.

According to my farmers market customers 1 of 3 people are deathly allergic to bee stings and in
the fall (yellowjackets) bees are a real pain.  With the publics narrow view of bees the presence of
AHB in America will take most of the fun out out of being a beekeeper. For now its a romantic sort
of profession but we could be viewed as the ENEMY if we are believed to be harboring the
DREADED KILLER BEE.

The facts will not mean jack if this cat gets out of the bag. I don't think that the migratory people
have a clue what kind of trouble this will unleash in the publics mind.

To anyone who thinks state or federal regulaion  of interstate shipments of bees is unfair just
poke around in the poultry, beef or pork industries and see the volumous reams of rules for
shipment.  I predict we have seen nothing yet and that the hokey inspections which go on
currently for shipping out of state will seem rather mundane in the future when public panic plays
a more active role in defining laws etc pertaining to honey bees.

The public was not a factor with the spread of mites, SHB and other problems. They are in this
front and center this time. At some point the public will figure out that the bee indsutry has
something to do with the spread of AHB a fact which they are clueless to now.

-- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/bee-l for rules, FAQ and  other info ---