> Peter, work by Dr. Ben Oldroyd here in Australia shows that when A. mellifera queens mate with A. cerana drones there is no hybrid bees produced.

Yeah, I know. Two different species. I just meant, that's what it "looks like." Actually it looks like they are on drugs, like Juanse said. Who knows? 

Species crosses do occur, of course. Species is not a hard fast distinction. Some crosses occur but produce sterile offspring; others are viable. 

Hence, the ability to interbreed or not, is not a definition of species in all cases (in most cases, it is, such as here with Apis). Then again, there are exceptions to almost every rule. Like when bees produce a queen from an unfertilized egg.

Relevant trivia:
from Latin, literally "appearance, form, beauty," from specere "to look."

PLB

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