In a message dated 26/09/05 15:16:58 GMT Daylight Time, [log in to unmask] writes: <<The dictionary def. lists the word strain the same as race.>> I always understood a 'race' of bee to be the same as a subspecies, and a 'strain' a identifiable line with identifiable characteristics, normally within a race, as hybrids don't breed true enough to retain characteristics down the generations. So I might have A.m.m, or near A.m.m., which use more propolis, or winter in smaller clusters, than someone else's strain, but they'd both be A.m.m. Maybe you see things differently in the US. Regards, Robert Brenchley Birmingham UK -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/bee-l for rules, FAQ and other info ---