I think the story of the Spanish importation of bees into the Americas would make an interesting tale, if it were fully know. Unfortunately, there are many gaps. Also, reading the story of the Spanish takeover of the New World is to be reminded of how ugly they were. They killed or enslaved the natives wherever they went.

Anyway, it appears that the Spanish had quite an appetite for beeswax and found the native wax to be unsuitable, since it is very gummy. At some point they began to bring hives from Spain. These bees were called Spanish bees and their wax was called Spanish Wax (Cera de Castilla) to distinguish it from native wax (Cera de Campeche). By the way, in some American countries the Spanish language itself is called Castellano.

Excerpt from American Bee Journal, November 1917:

>The first swarms of bees were brought from Spain by settling immigrants a few years after the conquest. Some think the priests were influential in bringing them over, because beeswax was necessary in the Catholic ceremonies. The fact is that the domesticated honeybee is still called in Mexico "De Castilla" and beeswax "Cera de Castilla."
>
>These names qualify the difference between the domesticated honeybees and the wild bees and their products in Mexico, one variety of which is still appreciated because of the ochre-colored wax furnished by the latter, cheaply taking the place of ordinary beeswax.
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>Since colonization times, we may say that beekeeping has made no progress among the common people. They still use the log gum, or a hive made of four boards nailed together.  Those hives are not stood on end but are laid down horizontally, in order that they be not knocked down by domestic animals.

(I saw hives just like this in 1981 in Central Chile. The beekeeper said that he was happy with them, having no interest in expensive hives with frames).

Peter Borst, Ithaca NY  USA