As per CCD and race of bees.  Our surveys indicated a slight tendency  
towards susceptibility to CCD by Italian bees, a hint that Russian bees were a  bit 
resistant.  NONE of this was even close to statistically  significant.
 
Also, since Italians are one of the most commonly used races of bee, and  
Russians one of the newer races in the U.S., with more limited distribution -  
this is probably just an artifact of the overall numbers of beekeepers with  
Italian versus Russian bees.
 
As per the Africanized bee resistance - I've seen no studies that document  
this - haven't even seen any published studies or even rumored stuidies of  CCD 
in African bees. 
 
I've heard these claims, but can't find any evidence for this.  If a  study 
was done, I'd much like to see it.  Should be a simple  question - if a study 
was done, who did it and when?
 
Far as I know, the Africanized bee research yard in Tucson was  eliminated 
after Gerry Loper retired - so where would one have found  managed AHB with CCD 
- who's watching feral AHBs for CCD?  Since we  don't know what causes it, you 
can't sample an AHB feral colony and proclaim it  has/has not CCD.
 
Is there information about CCD in AHB  from S. America?  I've  reports of a 
CCD like problem in Chile.  When I was in Chile a couple of  years ago, they 
claimed not to have AHB.  
 
Guatamala has AHB - I've experienced that when I was there, but their bee  
losses were a long, slow dwindle, at least what I saw a few years ago.  Any  
information about CCD from Argentina?  That would be  interesting.
 
The lack of reporting of CCD in a few hot/dry SW states for 2006-07 may  have 
been the source of the comment that implies AHB are resistant based on  
absence of reports of CCD in regions with AHB - that argument went out  the window 
fall of 2007.  According to our surveys and sampling,  CCD was seen in managed 
bees in this region last fall/winter.
 
Jerry
 
 



**************It's Tax Time! Get tips, forms, and advice on AOL Money & 
Finance.      (http://money.aol.com/tax?NCID=aolprf00030000000001)

****************************************************
* General Information About BEE-L is available at: *
* http://www.honeybeeworld.com/bee-l/default.htm   *
****************************************************