A very brief follow-up:

> "Seasonal nest usurpation of European colonies by African swarms in
Arizona, USA" by S. S. Schneider, et al

> Our study indicates that re-queening colonies during certain times of the
year could, instead of reducing the chance of Africanization, actually
increase vulnerability to becoming African due to usurpation.

> Our study suggests that nest usurpation plays an important, but annually
variable role in the loss of European characteristics in the southwestern
U.S. Because of migratory beekeeping and commercial queen-rearing practices,
nest usurpation in the southwestern states could potentially result in the
transportation of African matrilines to other regions of the country.

Comment:

I wonder if folks in the Southern USA have observed this takeover by African
Bees? I talked to a beekeeper who trucks bees back and forth between FL and
NY who acknowledged that they "get in" to managed hives.

pb

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