> In other
> words is it possible that a colony of bees can be 'sensitised' by
> repeated exposure to increased alarms so that eventually the bees
> consistently respond more aggressively that they used to?
 
Mike I seriously doubt it is possible for rough handling to cause a hive
to be overly aggressive for more than six weeks.  They don't have
libraries to record past abuse.
 
I have worked bees only a week or so after being "rescued" from a season
of quite rough handling and they had settled down in that time after a
move and being treated gently.  These bees were extremely agggressive
all season and under two gently inspection became quite gentle.
 
--
"Test everything.  Hold on to the good."  (1 Thessalonians 5:21)
 
Tom Elliott
Chugiak,  Alaska
U.S.A.
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