> Some areas of the Island are isolated pockets as far as bee
> populations are concerned.  Without migration of managed hives into these
> zones, there seems to have developed particular genetic traits, such as a
> red queen (very placid),

The Weavers (Texas) sold for years in the sixties & seventies queens which
resembled the above but not exactly unless the queens were large. The Weaver
queens were very large and in certain light the queens &  legs appeared a 
red color.
Stories were circulated in commercial circles these queens dated back to a
Ligurian import in the late 1800's.

 or small dark queens with
> aggressive hives.

I would be interested in a DNA test of these bees. Has one been done Betty?

  The small dark queens
> certainly display poor brood viability.

A sure sign of inbreeding.

bob

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