> I was engaged in a spirited discussion with a strong advocate of keeping
> Africanized Bees in Southern California due to their ((supposed))
> resistance to stressors.
>

Indeed, they have two very effective mechanisms for dealing with
stressors:  extreme defensiveness and absconding.  Perhaps recommend to
your friend that he visit some truly Africanized apiaries and work with
full sized colonies before bringing them into populated areas and getting
beekeeping banned. ref. current thread on NJ ordinances.

>
> The advocate made two surprising statements:
>  (1) "Studies have shown that defensiveness is based on epigenetic
> expressions due to trauma in larvae and that behavior can change to become
> docile."
>
I think there were some cross-fostering studies done between AHB and EHB
colonies.  AHB to EHB stayed defensive.  EHB to AHB became defensive.  I
can't come up with the reference, but "cross-fostering would be a keyword.
Also JH treatments can induce defensive behavior, and is also responsible
for many of the epigenetic differences between workers and queens.

>  .......
>  (2) "I have also spoken to bee geneticists who have changed their
> epigenetic behavior expressions through the use of environment
> modifications. One b[r]ought by AHB hybrids and said they were more docile
> than his bred stock."
>

AHB colony defensiveness is directly proportional to the size of the brood
nest.   Small colonies are some of the most docile I've worked with
("demoralized" comes to mind), but the brood nest takes off and they're a
whole different animal.

PB: like your acquaintance's claim that African bees can be made docile by
> massaging the larvae with tofu lotion

Sounds traumatic to me.
Epigenetics in common parlance is often misunderstood as scientific proof
of Lamarkism, Lysenkoism, and wishful thinking.
Cheers,
Kristina Williams
Boulder, CO

             ***********************************************
The BEE-L mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned
LISTSERV(R) list management software.  For more information, go to:
http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html