The problem I fear the most from the advance of the AHB is not from the bees
themselves but from something the US has in spades compared to Mexico and
South America- litigation. Once the AHB gets into several metropolitan
areas-particularly east of the Mississippi- I fear we are going to see a
flood of lawsuits, and the inevitable local laws just behind them. These will
be passed by faux-concerned politicians who want to appear as if they are
"doing" something about a "serious public health issue" (can't you just hear
them on TV now)? This, of course, will seriously impact hobbyist and
sideliners. Will beekeeping die out in the US? Of course not, at least not
commercially in rural areas. Suburban and Urban beekeeping may be a different
story if the well known "Soccer Mom" hysteria fixes on this issue. I see it
all the time- folks find out I keep bees and they look at me as if I must be
insane. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out what those people
will want done when the AHB shows up in their town.

Todd
Keeping a low profile somewhere in Georgia