You didn't answer my question DR! Do you really think we've had hundreds of years of selective breeding from the best of the available bees?
Not really sure why you've got such a burr in your knickers about AMM to be honest. I can only speak personally and what I don't want to see continue are imports. And it makes simple sense to me to focus our efforts on the bees which have their native range in Scotland. I don't see anything else that makes sense. Should we be breeding Italians or Carnies? And if so why?
Not sure that, as you say, hybrid bees are by definition adaptable to their environment. Crosses take traits from their parents which may not always be the most useful ones either for themselves or for us. Cross a Collie with a Jack Russell and you may get a dog that wants to herd rats!
Predictability is better assured with pure breeds and for me the only sensible choice is AMM.
And as to the concepts of local and native. I don't think those terms are especially helpful on occasion as of course holes can be picked in them as you have done. As to the Romans - they didn't hang about in my neck of the woods! They passed on through and I doubt they were dropping off clay pots of yellow bees on their way!
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