# CCD and Africanized honey bees



## 1workerbee (Oct 20, 2008)

I spent an hour this morning reading articles posted on Apitrack and I was wondering if any researchers or keepers of AHB are seeing Colony Collapse Disorder in AHB?


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## Gene Weitzel (Dec 6, 2005)

1workerbee said:


> I spent an hour this morning reading articles posted on Apitrack and I was wondering if any researchers or keepers of AHB are seeing Colony Collapse Disorder in AHB?


I don't know about your state, but in my state it is illegal to knowingly keep Africanized bees.


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## 1workerbee (Oct 20, 2008)

I can't say where, but I read about a gentleman in a southern state working isolated colonies of AHB on desert plants. I thought it was outrageous myself. Perhaps I read it wrong and he is across the border, but frankly just because it is illegal doesn't mean someone isn't doing it. I personally like to be on the side of the law.


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

Apitrack? Is that another bee related web site?


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## 1workerbee (Oct 20, 2008)

*Apitrack*

I don't know or can't remember how I got onto Apitrack. Its a semi-monthly email that consolidates all the headings for all things bee related world wide with links to the original articles, assuming you can read portuguese, chinese, etc. It is a good way to keep up on (albeit news media generated) news about everything from harvests, to droughts affecting bees, to contaminated honey finds at custom inspection sites. Whatever was news worthy and is bee related. It includes things like bee festivals, extraction center openings, the new Mexican government bee commerce rep, etc. but with links to the articles, you can pick up on stories from different regions that may involve quarantines, contaminants, legislation regarding bees in other states or countries. Check out http://apitrack.com They appear to be a company offering solutions for monitoring hives and hive product, but the newsletter button is on the front page. Again, I think I was added through my dealings with a beekeeper association, as I don't recall signing up, but I enjoy the info.


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## Tomas (Jun 10, 2005)

*Africanized bees in Honduras*

I’ve worked with Africanized bees here in Honduras for the last 18 years. I haven’t experienced anything like CCD with my bees (about 60 to 70 hives in two different yards) and haven’t heard of it occurring in Honduras or Central America. And hopefully it won’t happen down here.

One of the upsides of the Africanized bees is that they definitely seem hardier when it comes to diseases and pests. I work part of the year in the States with a commercial beekeeper and the bees back there seem like wimps when compared to the Africanized bees here. If you don’t treat for diseases and pests in the States you are probably going to have problems. Not so from my experience with the bees here.

My hives have mites but I’ve never seen them get to the point where they decimate the hive (or even cause problems). Nosema and foul brood haven’t been a concern for me. No small hive beetles either (and crossing my fingers they never will be a problem). I don’t treat my hives with anything or for anything. 

And maybe not having this chemical build up in the combs and with the bees is one of the reasons CCD doesn’t seem to exist here. The treatments are available but most people don’t seem to use them (but the cost of them also has to be a factor in why they don’t use them).

It seems that a person here usually loses hives in larger numbers because they aren’t feeding them enough during the dearth (the rainy season here). We get extended rainy periods down here that are worse than normal when hurricanes are coming through the area. The roads get in bad shape and if you have to drive up into the mountains where you’re bees might be, you’re not going to get to them. Or maybe the person simply can’t afford to buy that much sugar. At the first indication they are running out of stores, the hive absconds. They don’t hang out in the hive waiting to starve to death. 

The Africanized bees are ornery but a cross with European bees will make them calmer and easier to work with. But at the same time it makes me wonder if this cross/hybrid would also be more susceptible to all the disease and pest problems in the States. 

It’s seems to be a give and take situation with having Africanized bees or European bees. Is it preferable having a hardy bee or a gentle, calm bee? There are advantages and disadvantages to both. I don’t think I would advocate for managing Africanized bees in the States but they are “the” bee in Honduras so a person technically does have a choice here.

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Tom


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## 1workerbee (Oct 20, 2008)

Tom 
Thanks, for the reply. I don't use chemicals on my hives either, and have seen no pest infestions or mites, but my hives are isolated compared to most. I am still trying to figure out where they forage however, which is a big concern as this is an agriculture state and people use pesticides. I will be curious to see how they fair this winter and look forward to our first flowers in March. CCD is like a puzzle. Its going to be a matter of putting all the pieces together.


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