On Sat, 19 Nov 2005 Tim Vaughan wrote:

”Chuck, depending on the sort of test, the results could be negative for
AHB and the bees still be AHB. The tests done here in Ca. by the State are
mitochondrial, so you could get a queen breeder in, say, Texas ... and her
daughters would still test out as EHB.”

Tim, your statement is quite valid. PCR-DNA testing is valid only with
maternal parentage.  Too often Canada, Europe and even “Down Under” is
left out of the writer’s scope of thought whether it may be in a post on
BEE-L or in an article in a beekeeping magazine with an international
readership. Often such omissions occur due to the myriad amount of
variances in governmental rules and regulations such as those areas that
are related to miticides and antibiotics as well as procedures and
protocol of identification methods and resources.

FWIW, I would hope that the Canadian government could adapt the FABIS
System of Identification for field screening and then use further methods
of testing and identification including morphological methods such as is
currently being done at the Carl Hayden Bee Research Center.

I understand that new methods of DNA testing are slowly coming down the
pike that will allow conclusive testing of AHB based upon parentage of
both male and female. Until then we need to do the responsible thing, to
make the powers that be aware of what’s gong on in our own backyards.


Sincerely,

Chuck Norton
Reidsville, NC

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