Rip Bechmann <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

>I don't think the data support your view.  I seem to recall a study
done,...that the
>feral populations were fairly distinct from managed colonies.

Yes you are correct, I have two or three of these studies stored in my
files.  But I was referring to some of the smaller celled feral
colonies 'from domestic pre foundation enlargement times' that may have
been on their way in natural acclimatization and regression, but not quite
there yet and still large enough in size to be influenced by assortative
matings with larger celled drones, and yet still wild for a long enough
time to be considered ferals.

But thanks, because this data mentioned does support my view that small
celled ferals maintain a fairly good separate genetic breeding sphere from
that of the enlarged honeybees due to assortative drone mating
preferences.  This might explain how the small celled ferals were able to
keep genetically fit enough to survive the mite crashes of the mid 90's
and be the first to recover naturally.

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