Hi Barry,
I agree with your comments. I see no reason US beekeepers couldn't utilize
scutellata. They are a very good bee.
Only a small percentage,
> 25-30%, of the AHB have the highly defensive trait that gets publicized
reply:
True. This % is probably true of any "true" feral stock whether AHB or EHB.
I see no reason that scutellta couldn't be breed as gentle as EHB (of which
some aren't so gentle). The only limiting factor that may be a problem with
scutellata is their wintering ability.
The only significant
> limiting factor in the AHB's spread, as in Africa, would appear to be
> cold temperatures.
What type of bees are used in cold regions for honey production? Monticola?
Couldn't a hybrid stock be formed?
Clay