I've been following this topic and feel someone should address
a misconception.  People have been blaming the AHB genes
in the Buckfast for its meanness, which isn't accurate.
 
The AHB is a cross of Apis mellifera scutellata and European
bees( AFAIK).  In the video "The Monk and the Honeybee",
Brother Adam goes to Africa to look for A. m. monticola in the
mountains of east Africa, which is found much higher up than
A. m scutellata.  He says they are known for their gentleness
and dark colour.  In any recent copy of The Hive and the Honeybee,
you can read that:
 
    "A. m. monticola retain their racial integrity, even though perennial
     hybridisation takes place with A. m. Scutellata in a fluctuating
     transitory zone. (Smith, 1961)
     A. m. monticola has been assigned a special position among
     honeybee races because it is the first taxonomic unit
     demonstrating isolation entirely by ecological factors showing
     a unique and distinct area of distribution. (Ruttner, 1988)
 
Peter Donavon, who is now in charge of the bee breeding
program at Buckfast Abbey spoke at our bee meeting last Spring
while he was here in Canada to inspect the Canadian Buckfast
breeders, and bring in a number of breeder queens.  He said they
brought back queen cells from Monticola colonies, and when they
emerged they knew which ones were pure because Monticola
queens are black and any queens with Scutellata in them were
yellow and were killed.  Therefore it is highly unlikely that there is
any so-called "AHB" genetic material in the Buckfast.
 
But since they are a hybrid, you can expect strange characteristics
to emerge when they supersede, just as you do if you plant the seeds
from any hybrid vegetable to not produce the same quality, or if those
plants cross with still another variety.  You will get stunted, disease
susceptible plants that are nothing like the hybrid.
 
    "In cross-breeding not all the strains of two races create the same
     beneficial heterosis [hybrid vigour] effect.  The specific combining ability
     has to be tested in every single case.  Another difficulty in crossbreeding
     lies in the development of unfavourable characteristics in numerous
     cases - that is, some hybrids may be very aggressive; while others may
     be very susceptible to diseases."  ( The Hive and the Honeybee, 1992 )
 
As George Imirie would say, we should all requeen every year, no matter
which type of queen we are using, either Buckfast, Carniolan or Italian.  So the
problem of Buckfasts not "breeding true" shouldn't be a problem.
 
Regards,
 
Ian Watson    [log in to unmask]
real estate agent     gardener    baritone
beekeeper---> 14 colonies