Man Attacked in Texas

[Pete]

Is he anyone you know?

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/world/7962124/texas-man-stung-by-1200-bees

Is this Africanised bees, or is he just unlucky?

Do you come across the Africanised bees in the USA often, its reported here (Oz) that its a really big problem for you guys?

[AllenF]

Sounds like AHB alright.   He is lucky.

[G3farms]

WOW!!! That poor fella is lucky to be alive.

I would definitely say AHB. But to be sure a sample of the bees would have to be sent off to a lab.

[saritacoleman]

I'm from Texas...keeping our first hive in Kentucky.
This was one of our first concerns but they don't live up here..winters are too cold.

Every time I go into the hive though...I keep telling myself..
"bees are good. bees are good. bees are good."

I like Kathy P's advice...suggested it to givemeone tonight.
Problem is..he hates hard liquor..he's a Bud man.

So...how early is drinking too early to tend the hive as a newbee?

Hope all is well with everyone.

Warm regards,
Sarita

[Tommyt]

GOOD GOD
talk about getting tore up

Tommyt

[Cascadebee]

Wow.  They should have talked to a local beek to get the scoop on what happened.  He must have hit the nest in the water heater with the mower?

[greenbtree]

The report said and showed the hive was in an old water heater.  If they were AHBs he wouldn't need to hit them.  Heck, even regular bees can get riled up over a mower.  I have a hive that when I mow around it I always do it last and quick and then hightail it out of there.  They will have a swarm out looking for the culprit for at least 20 minutes.  Just the numbers of stings alone on this poor guy points to AHB in my opinion.  He really is a man with an angel on each shoulder to survive it.

JC

[Pete]

So do you guys come across Africanised bees much? From media reports here its like you you cant find a hive without them being Africanised...whats the reality?

[tecumseh]

once you have done this gig long enough you may come to realize that you don't need africanized bees to result in this outcome.  once it does happen directly or indirectly to you it will not be such a entertaining matter.  quite often the proper combination is an older man and a tractor and some collision or jostling of a bee hive.

pete writes:
So do you guys come across Africanised bees much?

tecumseh:
the answer depends on what part of Texas you are speaking about.  in the very dry areas to the west the possibilities are greater.  beekeeper there pursue strategies to limit the problem.  in the eastern areas quite unlikely.  in the past I have done extensive testing here to monitor for the problem.  I am likely somewhat insulated here from the problem due to the very large number of migratory bees set down in the general area.

I also routinely send samples of swarms and nesting honeybees to the lab here for identification and have had about 5% prove to be slightly hybridized.  I have never taken a sample to the lab (total count over 10 years likely in the hundreds) that proved to be totally africanized.