Verminators boycott ???

[bjpbike]

Hi All

     For the second time in a couple of weeks Verminators a pest control show feature on discovery, has chosen to kill honey bees, relating them to AHB. In the first show saving the hive might have been tough, but in last nights show it would have been an easy save. They justify it by show a clip about AHB and you wonder why your nieghbor is going nuts. I think its about time that beeks give discovery and its advertisers a piece of thier mind.

I tried to put the link to discovery but it wont let me go to discovery viewer relation and send them an email

[JP]

Bj, I have a friend that was one of the companies that was selected to compete to see who would go on that show, they almost made the cut.

Sometimes Honeybees can be a threat to homeowners and their loved ones but it doesn't by any stretch of the imagination put them in any "pest" category in my opinion.

How could anyone consider God's favorite insect a pest???

Each state determines their own destiny when it comes to governing what is deemed necessary pest control. Some laws are not very specific and honeybees often fall in the gray category.

They are beneficial, but not to the homeowner when they wind up inside the wall of their home.

I am a beekeeper but I am also a licensed pest control operator. I practice live removals and I believe other pest companies should as well but they are horribly misinformed and ignorant to the ways of the honeybee. And sadly, most pcos just don't care because they would just rather make a buck than get off their butts and do "the right thing".

There are still today in this day and age pest companies that are "old school" and have the kill 'em all mentality.

New school is the way to go. Integrated pest management: http://www.epa.gov/opp00001/factsheets/ipm.htm This link is more oriented to growers but it is right on with the message.

Here's another: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Integrated_pest_management

Notice in the second link it mentions the first step being observation, this step involves active thought, an initial inspection, and an evaluation of the problem to find the most practical solution not only for the consumer but also for the environment. I think environment should be expanded here to include the words beneficial insects. Now some may argue that all insects are pests and that way of thinking puts them in the old school category.

We don't live in a fair world, plain and simple.


...JP

[bjpbike]

The big problem with this show is that they are relating honey bees to AHB everytime, then they kill them. It is hard enough to be a beekeeper without neighbors freaking out and running to the community leaders, demanding to be protected from the Killer Bees. If beekeepers continue to see and read about this , and do nothing, they will soon find themselves out of luck as well as hives. Recently a Few Maine communities has passed ordinances, one states you must prevent swarms, fat chance. Several Massachusetts communities are looking into the matter of KILLER BEES. Just how long do you think we have left if something is not done.

[derrick1p1]

I haven't seen this show, I'll have to check it out? 

So, what can be done?  On a larger scale, outside of this forum.  I know there are alot of beeks on here, but many that aren't.  With all of the press regarding ccd, I am still a little perplexed as to why the beekeeping community (on a national level) isn't taking full advantage of the wave.


Any ideas anyone?

[bjpbike]

hi I treid to put a link to discovery dot com but I haven't posted enough so it wont let me

So go to discovery.com viewer relations and let them know if everyone who views this send an email it will make a difference. If we leave it up to the other guy nothing will change

[poka-bee]

I watch most of the discovery channels though not consistantly & worse in the summer!  I will have to look for this show.  I will go to .com & email my .05.  The idea is appalling to me that things should be killed indescriminately before thinking of an alternate solution.  I don't kill spiders in the house...though I do smush every hornet that gets close enough to flick.  I know they have their place..just not near me or my bees!  Jody

[mairghead]

I can't imagine that this show is going to appeal to a large enough audience to stay on the air.  I can't stand to see dead mice in my own home and can't imagine why anyone would want to watch them pulled out of someone elses.  I tried to watch it once out of middle of the night insomnia desperation and just was bored out of my mind.  It seems like a prime example of reality based shows going too far.

[derrick1p1]

Just read another article on ccn.com about a person being attacked by bees.  The report did not differentiate between AHB or EHB of course.

[bjpbike]

what we all need to do is contact discovery.com and find thier viewr relations contact and tell them how we feel if everyone who replies to this or even looks at it takes the time it will make a difference. I tried to post the link put admin will not let me due to the fact I have not posted enough times

[mike s]

Hello everyone! This is my first post - and I have kept bees for 1 week now! I have been in the pest control industry for 17 years. I just went through a 6 hour class on AHB put on by the California Pest Control Operators of California. Their recommendation is to put down any swarm where AHB has been found- since you do not know if it is an AHB or European - or hybrid. I can see their point - in a populated city, a AHB swarm could potentially be an issue. Even fire departments are trained in AHB areas to put down the bees, since one nevers knows they are AHB until something possibly bad happens. I am sure it is a risk management issue for sure. It does bother me to watch them killed as well though.

I am not sure what other recommendations you experienced beekeepers would recommend - would not even requeening an AHB hive still give issues to a beekeeper? I get a little nervous keeping bees in an known AHB area - but I imagine as long as I requeen, etc - all should be well.


The AHB class I took reminded me how badly I always wanted to keep bees.Great website!

[johnnybigfish]

  Yayyy for you Mike!!!
First of all, welcome to the forums!!...And congratulations on your first week!!!
I remember my first week...and month....and year.... :-D....But I couldnt tell you what I had for supper last nite...I think though, that i told people here!
Anyways, I dont know what to think about the AHB yet...Some people(beekeepers too) here( In my town) want to kill ALL swarms because they say they are most likely Africanized!...I'm pretty new to beekeeping too(second year), but I have caught some swarms and havent seen "Killer Bees" yet...Just plain old bees so far....Perhaps I've just been lucky eh?
I saw a bee show recently and there was this lady in Arizona who kept bees and she said most all of her bees were Africanized.....But she made a statement that hit home for me. She said that "If a beekeeper wants to remain a beekeeper, they will just have to adjust to handling Africanized bees". For me, this is not impossible as I have a few acres in the country. But, for someone in the city this could be, unfortunately,the end of a wonderful hobby. In my case, I would have to keep my dogs away from the hives...In town, a beekeeper would have to burn all the neighbors out!( jus' kiddin'..).
Anyways, whats most important is that you enjoy your bees!...Eat honey, get stung, and eat more honey!

your friend,
john

[bjpbike]

While it is impossible to be sure of AHB when approaching a swarm and it does not attack you it is probably not AHB. Once you have it you can alleviate any problems by re-queening. If yu live in a AHB area try not to get a virgin Queen then she wont be mating with a possible AHB.

[Kathyp]

mike s, the alternative might be to have a relationship with beekeepers in the area who would evaluate and remove hives.  JP does it in LA.  Understudy does it in Florida.  sometimes there are other things going on and you don't have time to wait.  we all understand that.  still, it is a shame to kill a hive if you don't need to.  especially if someone is willing to take it.

look in the honeybee removal section and you'll get an idea of what some do....are willing to do.... to save hives.  :-)

[JP]

I have talked with some that deal with ahbs and apparently an ahb swarm can be just as gentle as a European one. You just don't find out until a few weeks or less later after they have had time to develop the colony.

I don't know how long it takes to get a verification of ahb, but I would send off samples from a swarm I caught in a known ahb area immediately. That way you know for sure what you have.

Of course if you have a virgin queen then I suppose it would be best to attain a mated Euro queen, if you're in a known ahb area just to be certain the virgin doesn't get the chance to mate with ahb drones.

On a positive note, one of the pest companies on that show was filmed spraying pesticides directly in a cabinet that housed dinnerware. My friend called the company and had a talk with the owner about his methods and he apologized and told my friend that they got carried away with the whole television spot light thing and just made a huge mistake, that he says he will never repeat again.

Btw, the guy told my friend that he was getting phone call, after phone call about his mess up, from countless pest operaters from around the country.


...JP