Hi to all on BEe-L Bob Harrison wrote: The biggest threat to the commercial beekeeper from capensis is in the area of migratory beekeeping and the taking over of hives and spreading capensis all over the U.S. which is the main point for Dr. Hoffman showing slides of the *alleged* capensis . I believe point Dr. Hoffman was making was valid. Reply: Following the AHPA meeting, and the ABF meeting in Ga, and Mr Bob Harrison's comments on BEE-L this past spring, Dr Gloria Hoffman gave the same presentation to the Southern Arizona Beekeepers Association, during which the slides she showed were of OUR bees on research done ten years previously, and previously presented at the AHPA meeting in Tucson Arizona in 1990. ONe such picture can be seen in Bee Science where scientific paper on our bees was published and the meeting in 1990 I have on video tape. NOw our bees were tested back then against Capenis by samples forwarded by Dr Anderson to the USDA for comparison to rule this fact out clearlify that our bees were indeed different and a caucasian type strain. At the meeting duplicating the speech in Ga Dr HOffman said she was only talking about capenis similar traits and what she was seeing here locally, which by the way we ahve seen in our family for more then three generations and why the Tucson Bee lab wanted to work with our bees in the first place in the 1980s and 1990s (also under contract). Very interesting following this discussion so far. Should you find anything different then what I already know Mr Bob Harrison in concrete and proved, I will be very much interested to see! Please keep me posted as to what you find out for actual fact. Regards, Dee A. Lusby __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Yahoo! - Official partner of 2002 FIFA World Cup http://fifaworldcup.yahoo.com