An interesting document! Thanks!
The document states:
“Furthermore, representatives of the 'O' lineage (A. m. syriaca), (11% of
feral colonies) have been found which has not been imported into the US since
the 1880's.”

A. mellifera syriaca, is the honeybee originating from the eastern
Mediterranean, found in the regions of Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Gaza Strip and
Jordan. These bees were procured and imported to the USA during a trip to the
Holy Land by D. A. Jones and Frank Benton in 1880.

A. m. syriaca were marketed in the USA as ‘Syrian bees’ OR ‘Holly Land
Bees’ . Benton also procured Cyprian bees from the Island of Cyprus which like
the Italians, are not a distant race, but are descendants of the holy land bees.
Many of the yellow, or golden bees like the Italians and Cyprians can be traced
back to the Holly Land bee for their origin. From some recorded accounts, it
appears that the Syrian bees and the Cyprians were in many cases, cross bred in
the USA, grouped together and sold as Cyprians.

The document quoted above states that Cyprians and Syrian bees may not have been
imported into the USA since the 1880’s. But records show they may have
continued to be imported on occasion, bred and shipped across county to
commercial beekeepers in places like southern California for their “superior
honey gathering abilities” up until about 1902. But eventually lost favor in
the early 1900’s due to their habit of fierce stinging which was said to be
“unbearable“. About the same time, the quest for a gentler bee, Caucasians
were imported in 1905.

However, beekeepers in Cyprus report that the pure Cyprian bee is extremely
docile. So this perhaps, is testament suggesting the fierce stinging associated
with the Cyprians to be the result of crossing out, and not an actual trait of
the Cyprian bee. How then, about AHB defensivness?

Joe
http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/HistoricalHoneybeeArticles/