Martin said: 

> I cannot imagine how a fugitive and clandestine swarm might even 
> survive two weeks across the ocean unfed and unsheltered, can you?

I would not agree with either of the assumptions you made.

First, two weeks is a very long time for transit in the heavily 
trafficked runs between Asia and the US.  Two weeks might be a 
reasonable time for surface freight between Asia and Buenos 
Aires, but crossing the equator when crossing either the
Atlantic or Pacific implies dealing with two opposing sets of 
trade winds and currents.

Second, the swarm need not be without resources.  One can expect 
that containers, left unsealed at or near their inland loading 
points until they are ready to ship, to become home to swarms 
that establish themselves and build up stores.  This is exactly
what happened with the AHB swarm that was transported by rail
from Texas to Virginia in the 1990s, as it was proven that the
freight car spent nearly a month being shuffled from one
place to the next between Texas and VA.


> And I also agree that some level of inspection and pests 
> screening is essential. This is what the O.I.E. recommends 
> and what member countries should do, but it is certainly 
> not the fault of the O.I.E. neither of the WTO that the 
> US fails to accomplish these inspections.

The regulations that exist provide for only inspections 
done by the shipper.  This "self-certification" is the most
disingenuous provision of the entire SPS scheme, as it places
the person with the most too gain or lose in the position 
of making the ultimate decision about shipping or not shipping.

What I have been proposing consistently since 2002 has been
port-of-entry inspections. There are many possible
approaches to sampling, screening, and tracking shipments,
so there would be no delay imposed on the shipments, moreso
if provisions for sampling were designed into the packaging
of the packages.

> [I] enjoy the benefits of importing genetic stock to improve
> our different strains and hybrids.

Yes, but you don't allow beekeepers in Argentina to buy bees
from overseas, now do you?  Imports for genetics and research
were made much more difficult by the WTO agreements, just ask 
Sue Cobey!  

>  The US itself jeopardizes its own bee exports!

The US does not really have a "bee export business" beyond
what was sold to Canadian beekeepers prior to the border
closure.  The queen and package producers have their hands
full meeting in-country demand, and don't need to export,
as they can't fill the demand that exists.

> Regarding your concern about Africanized Honey Bees (AHB) 
> in Buenos Aires province where I live,

Los Angeles, CA USA (34 degrees North latitude) was 
completely colonized by AHB in April 1999.  Buenos Aires 
is at 34 degrees South latitude.  Both cities are at low 
elevations, and have thriving sea ports. 

As I said, I wish you luck at not finding AHB in your
province.


 

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