> I tried Australian queens just once, via Canada, and perfectly legal.
> I bought 25 queens that were 4th to 5th generation open mated.

If they were 4th or 5th generation open mated how much of the original
Australian genes are with those queens?  I would suggest a small percentage
but then I am not a geneticist.  Maybe someone with experience could tell us
what the percentage is.

> Since, I talked to another person who also imported stock from the
> same Canadian source and had the same complaint.  She reminded me that
> Australia did not (does not?) have chalkbrood, so the bees may have
> been especially susceptible.

Australia got chalkbrood about 1992.

Thought I should thrown some facts into this debate as this is the second
time inaccurate statements have been made.  I know about this story of
chalkbrood in Australian queens in Canada.  Some of the people who have
raised this with me I have no reason to doubt.  It, however, raises the
question of why does the same stock show susceptibility to chalkbrood in
Canada but when used in Australia does not show the same problem?  Climate?
Management?  Nutrition?  Old infected combs?

Trevor Weatherhead
AUSTRALIA

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