Hi All I just thought I would mention a bit about a fascinating handbook on beekeeping in Botswana written by a german missionary. It shows bushmen children dressed in shorts with a can with holes in it. They light dung in the can and blow smoke into the hives they work. The hives are A.m.scutellata the AHB. They don't get stung much, and wear no gear whatsoever. So, those pictures of people wearing funny suits to deflect breath around them while working with AHB are probably a waste of time. Keep well Garth --- Garth Cambray Camdini Apiaries 15 Park Road Apis melifera capensis Grahamstown 800mm annual precipitation 6139 Eastern Cape South Africa Phone 27-0461-311663 On holiday for a few months Rhodes University Which means: working with bees 15 hours a day! Interests: Fliis and bees Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this post in no way reflect those of Rhodes University.