Hello Tim and All,

Tim wrote:
Now that's an interesting thought. The media tells me AHB are still 2
counties to the south of my hives.

The way the process works is similar to the small hive beetle documentation going on with the USDA at present

. Unless the USDA has a reason to look in your area or you send a sample your area remains free of the problem until documented. Does not however mean AHB or SHB are not IN your area.  

With 25 states having documented cases of SHb to date guesses by apiary inspectores range as high as half the remaining states have already got the small hive beetle.

Tim wrote:
 A good percentage of those 400,000 hives
brought to California are/have been parked around here to be built up by
the eucalyptus.

A percentage of those hives Tim have got small hive beetle.

Tim wrote:

 Fortunately, none of the drones from these hives entered
mine :-(

Surely you jest!
California hives have got drones this time of year.  We are waiting for hives  from Almonds to start early queen rearing  as reports are they have got mature drones.  We will not get mature drones until around the  third week of March to April 1st. IF we are lucky with Missouri wintered hives. Mature drones are the missing igrediant to raising early queens in Missouri.
Sincerely,
Bob Harrison