interesting others are putting such information aside concernign early repeated imports, and saying that their bees are good european and on certain days they are probably just like mine in working. Nobody is putting the info aside. It's just that they see it differently. As I posted earlier this week: Honey bees from the M group were introduced into what is now the U.S. in the 1600’s. Between 1859 and 1922, seven more races of bees were introduced into the country, including the well-known Italian, Carniolan, and Caucasian bees. Cyprian, Egyptian, Syrian and three races of African bees eventually were introduced into the country, as well. In the early 1990’s, M and C lineages could be found in southern and western lines, but A was not around. In plain English: when they checked bees in the 1990s they found that there were descendants of the north European black bees (M) and the Italian/Carniolan type (C) but no traces of African lines (A). These probably failed to thrive, unlike the lines that Dr. Kerr brought into Brazil, which multiplied like jack rabbits and eventually ended up in your neighborhood. But it isn't the temperament that is the worst feature of Africans, although that would make it impossible to keep them in MY neighborhood but the fact that they swarm themselves silly and don't make enough honey to pay the bills. Unless you live in a hut or have some other source of income aside from honey or pollination fees. By the way, there is a yard of 24 hives a couple hundred yards from my house. People walk past it every day with their dogs and babies. No one has ever been bothered by those bees. pb **************************************************** * General Information About BEE-L is available at: * * http://www.honeybeeworld.com/bee-l/default.htm * ****************************************************