I'm sorry I was not at ABF in Savannah to hear Dr. Hoffman's presentation
first hand.  The BEE-L reports of her presentation are leaving me somewhat
befuddled.  As near as I can determine, ALL of Arizona is Africanized,
although some say it was Africanized long before the Africanized Bee got
there via Brazil.  Problem is, we don't know if it's scut or capensis or
some hybrid or mutated bee, nor do we know if it came via Brazil, Louisiana,
or inside a Cracker Jacks box.  But I'm getting a clear picture here and it
must be true because the moderators are letting all this stuff through!

Seems to me that (in Bob's words) spending half of a $1.8 million grant
looking more closely into the puzzle is money well spent.

I caution, statements about how grant money should be utilized and
speculation over the unknown nature of an issue are precisely why the PdDs
avoid (even disdain) this list.  Personally I have no idea how or how much
money Dr. Calderone will spend on AHB research, I only read the Cornell
press release.  I have never heard Dr. Calderone address directly the AHB
issue, and living in New York I have the opportunity to hear and speak with
him more than most.

Bob raises a frightening spectre when he wonders about the possibility that
USDA will place restrictions on bees coming in and out of AHB areas with
Almond groves.  Hmmm.  Will they?  Won't they?  Track record says they will,
with no notice, and Hackenberg will sneak his bees out at 3AM in the
morning.  BUT, seems like the possibility of such happening is good reason
for research to figure out what IS the domestic African Honeybee.

> Surely after 16 years of study in earnest by the USDA we know
> all there is to know about  AHB OR is there something we are
> not being told?
There is a possibility that what we aren't being told is that after 16 years
of study in earnest by the USDA they are forced to say that they've come to
realize that the conclusions they've made in the 16 years of study may have
been wrong, but they've reached a better understanding of the nature of the
issue.  Years of asking questions have not resulted in answers, just better
questions!

> In Texas in areas of Ahb my friends tell me
> a couple hives turn AHB every year and they are either killed
> or split three ways and given European queens.
But I thought AHB hives won't accept European queens.  Are your friend's
hives really AHB or is somethiiing else going on?  Perhaps your friend's
assumptions are incorrect.  Maybe small AHB populations are more accepting
of European queens than larger populations.    I don't know.  But I caution
about drawnig positive conclusion from speculative input.

> Would someone from  the USDA please post why they (in their
> opinion) feel we need to spend half our research money on the
> AHB?
I doubt when challanged thusly any will respond.

> If capensis is the reason I understand. If we are
> talking about scuts then what's the problem?
Seems reason enough to examine more closely.

Aaron Morris - thinking Bob is arguing with himself.