Last week Mike Allsopp posted “South Africa issues” on BEE-L stating
he thought he “had best comment, and in some cases set the record
straight.” Perhaps he could kindly continue in this vein in respect of the
following.

1. South Africa faces more bee pests/diseases/problems than any
other country in the world? The exception would be pure capensis
colonies in native capensis territory, a relatively small area of the
country.

2. The country’s single biggest current problem is the ever-increasing
wholesale - if not industrial - destruction of scutellata colonies by
capensis laying workers?

3. The said capensis problem is the single biggest problem in South
African beekeeping history?

4. Capensis worker laying behaviour - however delayed - has become
the dominant characteristic of wild and managed scutellata colonies?

5. It is unlikely that any pure scutellata can be found anywhere in South
Africa today? It is generally believed that all “wild” scutellata are
hybridised to varying degrees with capensis? Separately, the latter
phenomenon comprises the capensis “timebomb” within all
scutellata colonies?

6. South Africa is the only country in the world - where varroa is found -
where varroa is not the main problem?

7. South Africa’s varroa is the most virulent strain, the so-called verroa
destructor “Russian” type?

8. The mechanism by which capensis workers clone themselves has
yet to be explained?

9. No non-private sector research conducted on solving the so-called
capensis problem has ever yielded any practical solutions
whatsoever?

10. Mr Allsopp and his colleagues at the PPRI, ARC (Plant Protection
Research Institute, Agricultural Research Council) live and work in
Stellenbosch, South Africa, deep in native capensis territory. This,
along with other factors, would imply that any further attempts by the
PPRI to find a solution to the capensis problem have been totally
abandoned? This one really needs a unequivocal answer?

11. Further, by implication, all other research bodies in South Africa
have abandoned attempts to solve the capensis problem? Mr Allsopp
has stated, separately, that “PPRI has not been part of the government
for a long time.” Does this have any bearing on the PPRI’s constituent
donors’ expectations of the PPRI’s bee research focus areas?

12. In order to secure on-going funding from donors ambivalent to the
value of bees in South Africa, bodies such as the PPRI have a vested
interest in the capensis problem continuing, not in it being solved?
This is a tough one all right.

13. If it is true that all non-private sector attempts to solve the capensis
problem have been abandoned, would bodies such as PPRI
suppress private sector attempts? Would PPRI, for example, oppose
an ApiCrown (i.e., pure private sector) attempt to import pure scutellata
from Kenya? Scutellata for research purposes to test domestic scuts
for capensis and varroa resistance? Instrumentally inseminated
queens accompanied by an international health certificate issued by
ICIPE (www.icipe.org)? Eggs in comb? Bee semen? Would
government itself suppress such bona fide attempts?

14. As to cell size, Mr Allsopp quoted figures for scuts that are likely
dated; viz., pre-capensis (1990) and pre-varroa (1995)? This is not to
imply that either would initiate a change in cell size. But just how valid
are his supplied figures at 4.85-4.9mm? I live and work deep in
scutellata country and I am not a scientist. I have examined brood
nests of millions of wild scutellata trapped near Piet Retief in the past
four months or so. I stand by my finding that scutellata are retooling,
and downsizing cell size. I stand by my statement on BEE-L on 12 July
2001, viz.: “we are very worried that the dual influence of varroa and
capensis could lead to a deep depletion in wild swarms” in traditional
scutellata countryside. That there are still swarms in relative
abundance in 2001 must constitute some proof that scutellata are
truly tough. But even scutellata have a breaking point. Is it time for
South African research entities to make serious inroads into the
damage man has occasioned scutellata in one of its home countries?

Thanking Mr Allsopp in advance,

Barry Sergeant
ApiCrown Honeybee Queen Breeders
Kyalami
South Africa