New to beekeeping

KeyLargoBees · September 10, 2015, 12:14:50 PM

There have been no reported cases down here...some in WPB and central east coast but mostly media hype....hell if you back a car into a "nice hive" or drop a hive off a trailer and have it split open on the ground (both have happenned and been reported as AHB by the media with no retraction after it was revealed the cause of the attack) you are goign to see the entire colony get angry and exhibit africanized behavior....but I treat every swarm and or cut out as potential AHB....full suit, gloves, and the works....after they prove to be "nice" I start stripping off clothing. Its usually a race between me deciding the bees are "nice" and heat stroke LOL.

BeeMaster2 · September 10, 2015, 12:53:02 PM

During my last inspection, I asked the inspector if he really wanted to go into the hives due to the cloud cover and pending rain. He was in a full jacket suit. I put my veil on knowing they were not going to bee happy, something I seldom need to do. The mosquito's were really bad so i went to get some bug repellent. When I came back, he was doing the bee dance rubbing his hands like crazy. He left to get his gloves saying they were too hot. I went over, with just a T shirt and veil and straightened out the hives that were tossed back together. No stings. He came back we looked at a week hive and then he decided that the other hive had to bee tested for AHB. He opened it up again and rubbed his sample tube over the bees, pissing them off again and got his sample. Again I rearranged the hives with no stings. I told him they were not AHB but he insisted they needed to be tested.

Jim

Dallasbeek · September 10, 2015, 01:01:38 PM

Jim, would they make you destroy AHBs in Florida? They used to in Texas, but my understanding is that they don't any more.

biggraham610 · September 10, 2015, 01:34:55 PM

Good Luck Jim. Is it mandatory that the inspector come and check your hives? What is the threshold? Number of hives, location, or both? G

KeyLargoBees · September 10, 2015, 02:04:52 PM

I registered my hives when I got them in May and advised my inspector after receiving my FL registration # and its been crickets since then. Then again she is based out of Ft Myers and also covering the Keys....go figure. i think she only comes down when she feels the need for boat drinks and some Buffet ;-)

and Caitlin if you read this forum you know I am only messing around :-)

GSF · September 10, 2015, 02:27:50 PM

I think you have to specifically ask that they inspect your hives, mandatory if you plan on selling them.

BeeMaster2 · September 10, 2015, 05:31:16 PM

Quote from: Dallasbeek on September 10, 2015, 01:01:38 PM
Jim, would they make you destroy AHBs in Florida? They used to in Texas, but my understanding is that they don't any more.

They will make you requeen a hive. My bees are not AHB. If you try to work the bees at the wrong time they will let you know it.

BeeMaster2 · September 10, 2015, 05:36:09 PM

Quote from: KeyLargoBees on September 10, 2015, 02:04:52 PM
I registered my hives when I got them in May and advised my inspector after receiving my FL registration # and its been crickets since then. Then again she is based out of Ft Myers and also covering the Keys....go figure. i think she only comes down when she feels the need for boat drinks and some Buffet ;-)

and Caitlin if you read this forum you know I am only messing around :-)

How did you register your hives. Up here the inspector fills out the registration form when he inspects. It took two years for them to do that for my hives and was talking to the inspectors every month at the meetings.
Jim

BeeMaster2 · September 10, 2015, 05:40:49 PM

Quote from: biggraham610 on September 10, 2015, 01:34:55 PM
Good Luck Jim. Is it mandatory that the inspector come and check your hives? What is the threshold? Number of hives, location, or both? G

If you have one hive, it has to be registered/inspected. They do not want to see the hives for the first time until they have been established for a while.
Jim

KeyLargoBees · September 10, 2015, 07:56:32 PM

I called and spoke with the regional Inspector prior to getting bees and she sent me all the forms. One was the apiary registration form that got me my FL registration number. She told me to call/e-mail when I got the response letter with my registration # and she would swing by and take a look at the hives the next time she was in the Keys...In the grand scheme of things its only been 3 months since I told her I had the # and the bees were established.