We had a major windstorm in Dallas Thursday, with winds upwards of 75 mph (straight line). Lots of trees down and about 200,000 homes without power for 24-48 hours. Yesterday, a crew was clearing downed trees and a worker was attacked by bees. Other workers had a hard time rescuing him and he was hospitalized afterward. No word on his condition or how many times he was stung. Apparently, the bees were Africanized, according to another beekeeper in the neighborhood. He requeened a mean hive a few months ago about two blocks from the feral hive that attacked the workman. We're speculatings the feral hive was the result of a swarm from his hive. He says it took about two months for his hive to settle down after he requeened. We're both talking about requeening every year after this. He has 4 hives and I have 2 and plan at least one split next spring, provided my hives make it through the winter.
I plan on getting my first bees this spring. I've read several books and attended a beekeeping class. However I am south of Dallas a couple hundred miles in AHB territory. My biggest concern with keeping bees is how much of a problem are the AHB causing for bee keepers. I've researched it but found little information other than always suit up, requeen yearly, and requeen if a hive gets aggressive.
What experiences do others have dealing with AHB? Any advice? I also read that in the last couple years the AHB aggressiveness has grown - is there any truth to that? - there is a utube documentary thAt also indicated that same notion...
Most of the information on treatment free beekeeping suggests catching swarms and not treating to produce survivor stock - however all the articles I've read that support that theory are written by beekeepers from farther north where there aren't AHB. Has anyone in AHB territory tried this?
Seems like catching a swarm in south texas will likely have AHB genetics.
There's a beekeeper in San Antonio who has caught a lot of swarms in South Texas. Hopefully, he'll join this conversation when he sees this. He does swarm removals, cutouts and stuff and has hived a lot of the swarms he's caught.
Quote from: LKBruns on October 05, 2014, 02:47:47 PM
... My biggest concern with keeping bees is how much of a problem are the AHB causing for bee keepers. I've researched it but found little information other than always suit up, requeen yearly, and requeen if a hive gets aggressive.
Greetings LKBruns,
I'm over in the San Antonio area (considered AHB territory) and do feral removals around here, but also do some a lot further south. I would say the above is good advice. Suit up to the hilt if you're not working with known tame bees, and even if you think you know them, always err on the side of caution. It's MUCH better to be safe than sorry! I use a vented full suit and am very often glad I have it on and fully zipped up and all possible entry points sealed as well as possible.
Quote from: LKBruns on October 05, 2014, 02:47:47 PM
What experiences do others have dealing with AHB? Any advice? I also read that in the last couple years the AHB aggressiveness has grown - is there any truth to that? - there is a utube documentary thAt also indicated that same notion...
Re: the AHB aggressiveness has grown?
I'm not sure about that since I've only been dealing with them a short while. However, my experience has been that the hives vary from one to the next. It seems that the larger the colony, the more aggressive they tend to be. Of course, in most cases you do not have any way of knowing just how large a colony is until you get their space open, and obviously by then you'd better be dressed for the occasion or have 911 on stand by. ;)
As stated above I advise to be fully suited when you approach a new feral colony, no matter what.
Quote from: LKBruns on October 05, 2014, 02:47:47 PM
Most of the information on treatment free beekeeping suggests catching swarms and not treating to produce survivor stock - however all the articles I've read that support that theory are written by beekeepers from farther north where there aren't AHB. Has anyone in AHB territory tried this?
I think any colony that can survive on their own for multiple seasons (down here or up north) are likely going to have the traits we hear about with "survivor stock", but it's the ones down here that also carry that extra little bit of spunk that not many want to have anything to do with.
I guess that's why all of the info available on "survivor stock" seems to be from the guys further north and out of the AHB range. I believe that the more aggressive feral bees in this area are the southern version of survivor stock, but you have to be willing to put up with them and their hot temperament in order to work with them in any capacity. Not to mention the location where they are going to be kept must be far enough away from folks and pets to not present a danger. And that can be up to a mile or more according to some of what I've read. They say that AHB colonies have been known to go off on someone, for no apparent reason, several hundred yards away or even more.
Quote from: LKBruns on October 05, 2014, 02:47:47 PM
Seems like catching a swarm in south texas will likely have AHB genetics.
According to the folks over at Texas A&M, the state's authority on honey bees, all of our feral bees now days have some amount of AHB genetics. They used to do DNA testing there, but no longer offer that service "due to lack of funding".
When I recently asked about the laws regarding quarantines of swarms / feral colonies in certain counties where AHB were originally found and the mandatory destroy of all feral hives in those counties, I was told that all those had been lifted and were no longer in effect.
I was told, "feel free to work as hot of bees as you like".
After doing many removals all across south central and deep south Texas, I can say (in my opinion) that there is no need for a DNA test on most feral colonies. You can tell pretty quick if they're hostile or not. Some more so than others, so it's reasonable to assume that some strains have more AHB blood than others.
Once you get them riled up, the don't seem to cool off very fast and you better have some heavy duty gloves if you play on getting your hands very close to their brood.
I'm no expert by any stretch, but hopefully the little info I've mentioned will be somewhat helpful.
Good luck with your new hives this spring. I have family over your way, so maybe I can come by for a visit next spring?
Welcome to the boards,
GD
Quote from: Dallasbeek on October 05, 2014, 01:48:13 PM
We had a major windstorm in Dallas Thursday, with winds upwards of 75 mph (straight line). Lots of trees down and about 200,000 homes without power for 24-48 hours. Yesterday, a crew was clearing downed trees and a worker was attacked by bees. Other workers had a hard time rescuing him and he was hospitalized afterward. No word on his condition or how many times he was stung. Apparently, the bees were Africanized, according to another beekeeper in the neighborhood. He requeened a mean hive a few months ago about two blocks from the feral hive that attacked the workman. We're speculatings the feral hive was the result of a swarm from his hive. He says it took about two months for his hive to settle down after he requeened. We're both talking about requeening every year after this. He has 4 hives and I have 2 and plan at least one split next spring, provided my hives make it through the winter.
Wow Dallasbeek! That's some crazy winds!!! I've been in a cave all weekend and didn't hear anything about those storms. Hopefully the worker is okay by now?
I requeen most all of the feral colonies I bring back to my place. One or two of the smaller colonies I've added to / combined with other hives that had a gentle queen, so basically the same end result.
I think it's a good idea and a worth while investment, but that's just me. :)
Thanks for share'n the story,
GD
Quote from: GDRankin on October 06, 2014, 03:00:36 AM
Wow Dallasbeek! That's some crazy winds!!! I've been in a cave all weekend and didn't hear anything about those storms. Hopefully the worker is okay by now?
GD:
Definitely some wild wind! It took out most of the top of one 150-year-old pecan tree and a lot of limbs from one even older. Took my arborist all morning to clear things.
Dang . . . sorry to hear that. Always hate to lose those old giants, or even parts of them.