# Musings about Beekeeping with Africanized Bees



## Tomas (Jun 10, 2005)

I have a love-hate relationship with Africanized bees. It’s what I have to work with in Honduras. Sometimes I just want to get rid of all of them and say that’s enough—no more dealing with these ornery critters. Other times I actually consider myself lucky that these are my bees. And then when the honey comes in and the money from the sales start, it makes all the stings worth the effort.



As a beekeeper in Honduras, I’ve been having this love-hate relationship with Africanized bees for the last 24 years. Some things I have figured out with these bees, but it is still a continuous learning process. 

Read the complete post on my blog, “Musings on Beekeeping”
http://musingsonbeekeeping.blogspot.com/2015/07/musings-about-beekeeping-with.html

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Tom


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## burns375 (Jul 15, 2013)

An old club member was in south america for a few years and worked many africanized bees. He saids its not as bad as everyone makes it out to be. You need to be slower and more methodical. He said ALOT of bees will get up into the air and bee on your face but they arn't all necessarily in attack mode.


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## frustrateddrone (Jan 31, 2015)

I have a suspected Africanized hive. I have not done a DNA test to confirm the percentage. I thought I could return 2 frames to the bee hive next to it that isn't Africanized. I only got about 20 stings in my ankles through my socks. I got as far as unstrapping 1 of the bee hives and nothing further. See me in my bee suit, they found the vulnerability. I must have killed a bee when unstrapping it and it fell to the ground where my shoes were. That's the only thing I can think of why that happened. I won't go out to do anything unless I am dressed for battle, that that will be in the Spring time. This AM when it was 50 degrees out I went to strap the bee hive and I was successful. The frames are on the outside and they can clean them up. I won't bother until Spring time when I have to re-queen and reduce that bee hive to 3 Nucs. Not worth putting up with trivial stuff. Unfortunately I do have to remove the Apivar Mite Treament in 1 of the bee hives the 20th October. Hoping for a cold day or morning.


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## dynemd (Aug 27, 2013)

Did you have on black or dark socks at the time frustrated?


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## GaryG74 (Apr 9, 2014)

Don't know if it would work with AHBs or not but I smoke the heck out of my ankles before I work my Italian mutts. Since I started doing that I haven't been stung on the ankles. I wear athletic type shoes and socks that go just above the ankles.


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## BWrangler (Aug 14, 2002)

Hi Guys

Tomas is posting again! More good musings on swarm traps and a very unusual stingless bee/aftrican bee, 2 colony hive.
It's well worth the read.

-dm


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## Tomas (Jun 10, 2005)

Thanks for the comment Dennis. My blogging, unfortunately, has been very hit and miss. My laptop crashed on me and my teaching job with fifth/sixth graders often gets the best of me. I always make a mental commitment to try and write daily (even if it is just for ten minutes) and post a bit more consistently, but other things usually get in the way.

Print journalism was what I studied many a year ago in the university, but life plans often change and I never directly worked in that field after graduating. My blog has been my way to get back into writing after so many years and a way to share something I’m passionate about. I’m glad you’re enjoying my blog. I always enjoy your blog and website too.

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Tom


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