>On the other hand, I encourage those in SoCal with ample isolation from
neighbors to experiment with the ferals to see whether one can propogate a
workable bloodline.

This is my long term goal, I hope to achieve something like this in the next 10 years or so. Perhaps the biggest hurdle is isolation, as you have pointed out. I doubt there are many places in SoCal with what would be considered "ample" distance from feral populations, that could entirely remove some mixing of genetics. I don't think it's very feasible nor entirely desirable, given that isolation of specific genetics- docility and productivity- could weaken the secondary but still desirable traits of pest resistance and localized survivability. 

I have several feral-sourced hives that can be worked in a shirt and veil but still have strong genetics, I'll be breeding them this spring as early trial queens. Over the next few years I should be able to recognize some traits that can lead to developing a more consistent strain, although with open mating perhaps the best that can be hoped for is a baseline of behavior with some variability thrown in to increase the gene pool. They may not be mutts but they certainly won't be purebreds either, which for my purposes serves quite well.

Tyson Kaiser
Sweet Bee Removal
sweetbeeremoval.com

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