# AHB in Georgia



## Buffalolick (Jan 26, 2010)

Where is that being reported? There was an unfortunate incident where an old man died but he was only stung about 100 times. Ahb attacks have 1000s of stings. My Italian mutts have stung me more than 100 times in one day when being moved. They are not ahb just a little grumpy. Lol Haven't heard of ahb here. Will be sad if its true.


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## Amber (Sep 19, 2010)

Frmo WSBTV website.


Officials: Killer Bees Responsible For Georgia Man's Death
Posted: 9:23 am EDT October 21, 2010

ATLANTA -- Officials with the Georgia Department of Agriculture confirmed that Africanized honeybees were responsible for the death of an elderly man in Dougherty County last week.

“This is the first record of Africanized honeybees in Georgia,” said Agriculture Commissioner Tommy Irvin.

Africanized honeybees are a hybrid of African and European honeybees. Because of their extremely defensive nature regarding their nest (also referred to as a colony or hive), they are sometimes called “killer bees.” Large numbers of them sometimes sting people or livestock with little provocation.

“Georgia beekeepers are our first and best line of defense against these invaders. They are the ones who will be able to monitor and detect any changes in bee activity,” said Irvin.

“The Georgia Department of Agriculture is going to continue its trapping and monitoring of bee swarms to try to find where any Africanized honeybees are,” said Irvin.

Authorities say 73-year-old Curtis Davis died Oct. 11 in Dougherty County. Authorities say he was cleaning up burning brush with a tractor when he hit a beehive. He was stung over 100 times.


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## willrich68 (Jan 8, 2010)

I hope this is just a fluke. I live in north central Alabama and figure that if they are in Georgia then they must be in Mississippi, Alabama and potentially Tennessee. This will make for big changes in the way we all do business and where we keep are colonies and I imagine who will allow us to keep colonies on their property.


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## Buffalolick (Jan 26, 2010)

Id like to know if this has been confirmed by genetic testing or if this is just some yahoo at the department of AG angling for some grant $ not ready to accept the news.


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## mhc (Sep 30, 2010)

Quote from Kim Flottum's CATCH THE BUZZ newsletter:
"Because Africanized honeybees look almost identical to European honeybees, the bees from the Dougherty County incident had to be tested to accurately ascertain they were the Africanized strain. The Georgia Department of Agriculture sent samples of the bees to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services which has the capability to do FABIS (fast African bee identification system) testing and the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture identification test (the complete morphometrics test) to confirm the bees’ identity."

They were confirmed as AHB.


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## beemandan (Dec 5, 2005)

*Africanized bees in GA*

I guess we can join the club now.
Recently there was a man killed by honey bees in southwest GA. It turns out that those bees were tested and are Africanized.
http://www.wctv.tv/APNews/headlines..._Georgia_104742769.html?storySection=comments


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## Buffalolick (Jan 26, 2010)

I guess we'll be praying for a cold winter then.


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## Buffalolick (Jan 26, 2010)

*Re: Africanized bees in GA*

Maybe the fall line will protect us Dan!


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## beemandan (Dec 5, 2005)

*Re: Africanized bees in GA*

I hope so Buffalo....


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## Barry (Dec 28, 1999)

Buffalolick said:


> Id like to know if this has been confirmed by genetic testing or if this is just some yahoo at the department


Yeah, it's a USDA yahoo. 
I don't know what the big surprise is. You're down there in the southern states so surely you didn't think you'd escape it. Smell the coffee!


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## Buffalolick (Jan 26, 2010)

Well I did expect we'd escape it since we have several days each winter with lows in the teens. For what it's worth I'm still suspicious of the diagnosis. Why is suggesting a government agency might lie to stoke public fear and generate more funding for themselves worthy of some rolly eyes?


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## Barry (Dec 28, 1999)

Because there's really nothing to be suspicious about. AHB is old news. The genes have been spreading now for many, many years. Every southern state should expect to already have AHB, even if it isn't "official." If this story came out 8 years ago, we could have some room for doubt, but not now.

I'm sure there are AHB genes in Illinois already. Just diluted more than where you are.


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## scdw43 (Aug 14, 2008)

I feel that as the genetics get watered down and they adapt to the cold, we will not be saying, they have AHB, but we will all be saying, that we all have AFB. It is a sad time as the public will just have more ammo against beekeepers. Look for more regulations about keeping bees in urban areas. With bees being moved all over the country it is up to us to watch our bees very close. If you have a agressive hive or a hive that is prone to swarm more than usual requeen it or get someone to help you requeen it quick. That will be something that we can do to slow down the advance of AHB.


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## scdw43 (Aug 14, 2008)

Sorry about double post.


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## bigbearomaha (Sep 3, 2009)

if the genetics are getting "watered down" or are adapted more toward european honey bee traits in order to survive in the colder temps, it is only reasonable to think that the behavior of the bees will change as well in accordance with the genetic traits changing.

it may become that having ahb is no different than having ehb in northern states.

Big Bear


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## honeybeekeeper (Mar 3, 2010)

Is it true that they put the honey bee under i microscope and they go by the detail of the wings and the size of the bee itself when being tested for AHB???


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## camero7 (Sep 21, 2009)

Seems to me that AHB has been found in Maine from the bees in blueberries. So Georgia should be no surprise. My understanding is the further north the easier they are to work and their swarming diminishes [they won't survive if they swarm up here like they do in the tropics.]


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## honeybeekeeper (Mar 3, 2010)

If thats the case camero7 i wouldnt mind having a few hives cause i heard that they can put out the honey. Very good productive workers!


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## wolfpenfarm (Jan 13, 2009)

honeybeekeeper said:


> having a few hives cause i heard that they can put out the honey. Very good productive workers!


Actually, i have had them and they build up fast and are poor poor producers. I got tired of them and had to requeen and still lost them that winter due to the lousy production of them.

now they build comb fast.


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## wolfpenfarm (Jan 13, 2009)

honeybeekeeper said:


> Is it true that they put the honey bee under i microscope and they go by the detail of the wings and the size of the bee itself when being tested for AHB???


When i sent my sample in they take a few and do a blender test.  take the solution and dna map it


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## KQ6AR (May 13, 2008)

Buffalolick said:


> Id like to know if this has been confirmed by genetic testing or if this is just some yahoo at the department of AG angling for some grant $ not ready to accept the news.


Here's Kim Flottums Email.

This ezine is also available online at http://home.ezezine.com/1636/1636-2010.10.21.13.35.archive.html


CATCH THE BUZZ






Africanized Honeybees Found in Georgia 


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 21, 2010






More on the Story Released Here Yesterday










Entomological tests have confirmed that Africanized honeybees were responsible for the death of an elderly man in Dougherty County last week. News reports say the man accidentally disturbed a feral colony of bees with his bulldozer and that he received more than 100 stings.






“This is the first record of Africanized honeybees in Georgia,” said Agriculture Commissioner Tommy Irvin.






Africanized honeybees are a hybrid of African and European honeybees. Because of their extremely defensive nature regarding their nest (also referred to as a colony or hive), they are sometimes called “killer bees.” Large numbers of them sometimes sting people or livestock with little provocation. 






The Africanized honeybee and the familiar European honeybee (Georgia’s state insect) look the same and their behavior is similar in some respects. Each bee can sting only once, and there is no difference between Africanized honeybee venom and that of a European honeybee. However, Africanized honeybees are less predictable and more defensive than European honeybees. They are more likely to defend a wider area around their nest and respond faster and in greater numbers than European honeybees. 






Africanized honeybees first appeared in the U.S. in Texas in 1990. Since then they have spread to New Mexico, Arizona, California, Nevada, Utah, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, Florida and now Georgia. Entomologists and beekeepers have been expecting the arrival of these bees in Georgia for several years. There has been an established breeding population in Florida since 2005. 






Because Africanized honeybees look almost identical to European honeybees, the bees from the Dougherty County incident had to be tested to accurately ascertain they were the Africanized strain. The Georgia Department of Agriculture sent samples of the bees to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services which has the capability to do FABIS (fast African bee identification system) testing and the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture identification test (the complete morphometrics test) to confirm the bees’ identity.










“Georgia beekeepers are our first and best line of defense against these invaders. They are the ones who will be able to monitor and detect any changes in bee activity,” said Commissioner Irvin. 






“The Georgia Department of Agriculture is going to continue its trapping and monitoring of bee swarms to try to find where any Africanized honeybees are,” said Commissioner Irvin. “We also want to educate people about what to do in case they encounter a colony of Africanized honeybees. Georgians can visit our website for more information. The University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Service has a publication on Africanized honeybees that is available online (http://pubsadmin.caes.uga.edu/files/pdf/B 1290_2.PDF) or at Extension offices.”


.


Don’t Forget!


Hives of European honeybees managed by beekeepers play an important role in our lives. These bees are necessary for the pollination of many crops. One-third of our diet relies on honeybee pollination.






People can coexist with the Africanized honeybee by learning about the bee and its habits, supporting beekeeping efforts and taking a few precautions.


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## honeybeekeeper (Mar 3, 2010)

Thanks wolfpenfarm, You learn something new everyday! I just read this online, link down below. It states that the average length of a honey bee wing is 9mm or more and anything less then 9mm is considered to be AHB. I have no idea if there is any truth to it or not but thought someone might know.

http://acwm.co.la.ca.us/scripts/ahb.htm


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## JohnBeeMan (Feb 24, 2004)

The spread of the AHB into more and more of the southern states is the reason there is now so much effort to get more northern beekeepers into queen rearing. Queens raised and bred in northern states will be less likely to have the AHB genes.


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## Bens-Bees (Sep 18, 2008)

I'd like to know how old this hive was... did it overwinter down there last winter?

I know I killed a swarm up here in TN I suspected of being africanized and sent samples with the state apiarist... they were on a big rig that came N. out of Florida and the bees were attacking anything that moved even if it was a hundred yards away. There were at least a few thousand dead bees around an A/C unit because they were attacking the fan blade. I haven't heard back on the results yet, but I would be very surprised if they weren't AHB. Anyway, the point is that a swarm like that can travel a thousand miles in a couple of days if they land on a rail car or big rig, etc. but they aren't going to be able to overwinter in a nothern climate. I'd be surprised if those bees in GA made it through a winter there.


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## jjgbee (Oct 12, 2006)

You guys are using wishfull thinking about cold weather killing them. 15 years ago there were studies in Mexico where AHB survived at 5000ft elevation. They overwinter in swarms the size of a baseball here and we have zero nectar from Nov to April with temps in the teens and lower. They are not a serious problem in CA where there is an ample supply of domestic bees. I live on the edge of the desert where there is some nectar but not enough for commercial beekeeping. AHB survives here and stays quite pure and mean. Pure strains produce no honey. I have 3 hives of a cross that are completely disease resistant . They have varroa but coexist with no intervention. They have the temperment of old Germans and do produce an average amount of honey. I must be prepared for the worst when I work them and do so only on a perfect day. They would be to mean for a commercial outfit.


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## Broke-T (Jul 9, 2008)

The problem is not them overwintering. Its the drones they produce. If this hive was near a queen rearing operation, The drones were flying out to DCA's and open mating with queens. Even if you flood your mating area with your drones some AHN drones are going to mate with your queens. Those queens are then going to produse some daughters that are half AHB and will be aggressive.

:ws

Johnny


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## FRAMEshift (Jun 27, 2010)

*Re: Africanized bees in GA*

If you look at the natural (not beekeeper maintained) distribution of AHB in Argentina, they can establish themselves up to about 32-33 degrees South Latitude. 

The equivalent latitude in the US would be Atlanta. Higher altitude (like Atlanta) and winter humidity might move that line to the south. Some AHB have survived as far south as 39 degrees latitude in Argentina, which would map to Washington DC. AHB have already made it to 39 degrees North Latitude in Nevada, but that is a dryer climate.

That said, I have seen maps based on Argentina that predict AHB as far north as southern Iowa and New York State. Of course, a big factor is the presence of numerous hives of European bees to compete with the AHB. And in cooler climates theAHB become less aggressive.


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## dannyidp (Jun 10, 2010)

*Re: Africanized bees in GA*

Well I don't know if this is normal are not but I'm starting to wonder if I have killer bee's!I have two hive and yes I am in Ga.that I started this year and all year I have been able to sit within 8 feet from my hive and observe the hive .But that is no longer possible,if I come within 8 feet now I need a suit is this normal this time of year? it's possible that there is some robbing going on that I can not seem to stop, the bees are all over the front of both hives which are 2 acres apart and are not acting normal at all.bees are also all over the place I mean front door back door all around the house shop ect.also don't let no body tell you that a hive beetle can't fit through # 8 screen wire.I pulled out my oil tray and they were 150 dead bees in the bottom of it .I'm wondering if this is part of there strange behavior?If any body can give me some advice it would be greatly appreciated....


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## GaSteve (Apr 28, 2004)

On the positive side, all the news reports and articles I have seen have been very factual and matter-of-fact without a lot of sensationalism, other than an occasional reference to "killer bees".

In FL, they developed the "Best Management Practices" for beekeepers and queen rearers on a voluntary basis to help cope with AHB. Does anyone know how successful that program is?

http://www.doacs.state.fl.us/pi/plantinsp/apiary/bmp_ehb.doc

http://www.doacs.state.fl.us/pi/plantinsp/apiary/bmp_hbq.doc


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## Michael Palmer (Dec 29, 2006)

JohnBeeMan said:


> The spread of the AHB into more and more of the southern states is the reason there is now so much effort to get more northern beekeepers into queen rearing. Queens raised and bred in northern states will be less likely to have the AHB genes.


Yes, but only partly so. I would say the quality...lack of...of the bees we get from the South is another consideration.


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## Buffalolick (Jan 26, 2010)

*Re: Africanized bees in GA*

I had a hive this spring that was just down right mean. Foolishly made a split from this hive and the new hive was just as mean. I'm talking tagged 3 times just taking the outter cover off. Silver lining was they were crazy productive. Real honey machines. I split again and they superceeded. Now I can refill feeders without veil. Maybe you just have a spicy queen. Swap her out.


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## kenpkr (Apr 6, 2004)

*Africanized Bees Confirmed in Georgia*

I guess it was inevitable but am sorry to hear it, just the same. I'm wondering now if and when they'll reach N GA. 
See links below for the details.

http://www.ajc.com/news/killer-honeybees-caused-mans-687600.html

http://georgiafaces.caes.uga.edu/index.cfm?public=viewStory&PK_ID=3954


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## devdog108 (May 7, 2009)

*Re: Africanized Bees Confirmed in Georgia*

Good news is they think they were transported in.....lets all hope so


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## USCBeeMan (Feb 7, 2009)

*AHBs in GA - Man dead*

Haven't been on the site in a while so I don't know if this has been posted already.

If true, it makes me want to rethink purchasing packages/nucs from southern GA apiaries. What do ya'll think?



Man Dies After Killer Bee Attack
Africanized Bees Confirmed To Have Caused Death
POSTED: 12:11 pm EDT October 21, 2010
UPDATED: 12:40 pm EDT October 21, 2010
Email Print 
Comments (11)ALBANY, Ga. -- Agriculture officials say a Georgia man died after being swarmed by killer bees.

Georgia Agriculture Commission Tommy Irvin said Thursday that tests show Africanized "killer" bees were responsible for the death of 73-year-old Curtis Davis in Dougherty County.

Davis was stung hundreds of times when his bulldozer hit an old wooden porch post where the bees had built a giant hive. The insects swarmed him.

Irvin said the tests showed the insects were a hybrid of African and European honeybees, sometimes called "killer bees." The bees are extremely defensive, swarm in greater numbers than typical European honeybees and sting with little provocation.

The first swarm of Africanized bees in the U.S. was discovered outside the small Texas town of Hidalgo in 1990. They have gradually spread to other states including northern Florida several years ago, but have not been previously confirmed in Georgia, according to the Georgia Beekeepers Association.

State officials said they will continue trapping and monitoring bee swarms to identify Africanized honeybees.

A web posting by the Georgia Beekeepers Association said that they are “confidant that (Africanized bees) will at least reach the Atlanta area.”


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## Tara (Jun 17, 2010)

*Re: AHBs in GA - Man dead*

I can't really say from a beekeeper point of view, but just looking at it--it was one case, with a wild swarm. Wouldn't there be a MUCH lower chance of an AHB package coming your way? I mean, for one, the guy shaking the package would probably notice (would they care enough to cull the package?), and two, aren't most breeding apiaries surrounded by their own drone producing hives? Even if a queen mated with a small fraction of AHB drones of her total drone count, would that affect the temperment of the entire hive?

Mostly just asking rather than saying, but to change an entire operation off of a single unrelated incident seems a little overboard.


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## USCBeeMan (Feb 7, 2009)

*Re: AHBs in GA - Man dead*

AHBs are not like European bees. They swarm multiple times. Much more often than what we are use to. They swarming is a natural way for them to replicate and doesn't seem to be associated with overcrowding. Actually it seems the more plentiful the natural resources, the more the swarm. 

AHB swarms appear to be like any other bees. It's after they take up residence and have a colony to protect that you actually see the difference.

At least these are my understandings. So if a queen breeds with an AHB drone and the queen is them caged for a package, it would seem that it would not be realized until the queen starts laying once the package has been installed and there are brood, honey, comb, etc. to protect.

While it is just one occurance that has been noted, that has no bearing as to how many AHB colonies are in the area or AHB Drones are in Drone Zones. 

I have decided one way or another as to whether or not I will stop purchasing bees from southern GA. But it gives me a reason to ensure I am getting what I expect.


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## Countryboy (Feb 15, 2009)

*Re: AHBs in GA - Man dead*

_Wouldn't there be a MUCH lower chance of an AHB package coming your way? I mean, for one, the guy shaking the package would probably notice (would they care enough to cull the package?), and two, aren't most breeding apiaries surrounded by their own drone producing hives?_

The problem is the queen breeders, not the package producers. AHB are known to invade a European hive, kill the European queen, and take over the hive. 

AHB swarms are calm. Small AHB hives are fairly calm. You don't hit the problem stage until the colony starts getting large.

What happens if an AHB queen takes over a small breeder queen hive, and someone doesn't notice and grafts eggs? What happens if an AHB queen takes over the drone producing hives and you flood the area with AHB drones?

How hot of a bee do you want?
Even if you can tolerate a hotter bee, do you want to buy a queen (or package) that can't overwinter in areas with a winter? AHB don't handle winter yet.


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## honeyshack (Jan 6, 2008)

*Re: AHBs in GA - Man dead*

Key word here is "yet". I think if we keep accidentally breeding them into our bees and shipping them out to more northern climates, they will eventually adapt. Maybe that is naive thinking...or just thinking out loud


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## knoxjk (Sep 10, 2010)

*Re: AHBs in GA - Man dead*

Don't shoot all the dogs because 1 had fleas !!!


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## Joseph Clemens (Feb 12, 2005)

*Re: AHBs in GA - Man dead*

It's funny (strange) to see beekeepers paranoid about honey bees.

Due to inherent stubbornness, or determination, I kept (Tucson's version of AHB) for more than a decade, I did get a feel for many of the unique behavioral traits that are said to belong to this "hybrid swarm". If I'd had a huge colony of them, living beneath a porch or building, then after I disturbed them (intentionally or not), I might expect to have them respond defensively. But, wait, I've seen bees absolutely guaranteed to be non-AHB respond in very similar defensive ways when their large colonies were disturbed. And too there actually was a huge colony/nest of AHB living within a few feet of my back fence and I only realized they were there after the mobile home they were living under had been moved away. It seems they were a source of many swarms that subsequently became colonies of mine.

These days I import queens known for the docile behavior of their workers, and breed from them. This has significantly changed the entire dynamic of my apiaries. But, since I can't yet afford to run my queen rearing operation in a remote location populated only with drones of selected pedigree, the open mating still produces a few queens that exhibit some less than desirable traits, but fortunately very few.

--
I say all this because I want to emphasize that a "hot" colony of EHB could just as easily have produced the same sorry result.

What I'm really trying to say is, why does it matter what "race" the hot bees are. Any "hot" bees should be dealt with in the same way. Why does it matter if they are AHB or are not AHB? Why bother to test/analyze if their extreme defensiveness stems from Africa or Europe. If they exhibit undesirable traits, simply treat them appropriately for their behavior and be done with them. Requeen or eliminate. Once the genetics that fostered the inappropriate behavior has been eliminated, why does it matter where it originated?

Concerning packages: The behavior of the bees that make up a package are no indicator of the colony the package will later become. Most, if not all packages are headed by queens that are not the mothers of the package bees they are shipped with.


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## Joseph Clemens (Feb 12, 2005)

*Re: AHBs in GA - Man dead*

Countryboy,
All the AHB swarms I've ever encountered in my vicinity have been extremely defensive. While they are still in the air, having just been issued, after they first cluster on a stationary object, and basically always. I hived many swarms like this near my home (I never managed to keep one in hive, unless they chose to go there on their own). To see if I could do it, I once retrieved a basket ball sized swarm, without using a veil, from about twenty-five miles away, in the heart of town. They had just clustered on a low bush, about three feet high. I knocked them into a deep 5-frame nuc which had its bottom side screened. I received about a dozen stings, mostly on my face, ears, and neck, but some on my arms, legs, and hands. I had two empty combs in the box with them. I fed them and kept them confined to the nuc for about four days. On the day I gave them an entrance I confirmed that their queen was there, and that she had laid at least one frame of eggs, some of which, had begun to hatch. The next morning I noticed very little activity around their entrance and discovered that they had absconded, leaving behind the eggs and just hatched larva. A couple of days later I discovered that this swarm had taken over another nuc, three nucs over from where I had them. They had ousted the virgin queen and had made this broodless nuc their own. I left them alone for a few months, until I was absolutely certain of the undesirable behavior (their true "personality"), then I killed their queen and replaced her with a cultured queen cell in a cell protector.

honeyshack,
Supposing your scenario is valid. How likely are you to maintain and even breed from a colony that exhibits undesirable traits, no matter what their geographic origins are? If you received an undesirable colony from Nova Scotia, Canada, would you be more likely to tolerate their bad behaviors than you would be if they were shipped to you from Georgia, U.S.A. ?

I'm here in Tucson, Arizona, U.S.A. I import queens from several queen breeders. I breed from them, the daughters are open mated. I grow nucs from these open mated daughter queens. If any of them produce colonies with undesirable traits - I promptly drop those queens into a jar of everclear and replace them with another cultured queen cell. It doesn't matter to me where they obtained their undesirable traits --> they aren't here any more.


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## fish_stix (May 17, 2009)

*Re: AHBs in GA - Man dead*

Thank you Joseph. Nuff said!


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## devdog108 (May 7, 2009)

*Re: AHBs in GA - Man dead*

Lets not taint the poll based on your OPINION of the southern breeders. Just answer the question. We have been down that road one too many times.


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## USCBeeMan (Feb 7, 2009)

*Re: AHBs in GA - Man dead*

This was just a poll. I personally answered unsure. 

I know that "hot" hives can be "tamed" by requeening. I have had several hot hives in the past. I didn't requeen them because they were really good honey/comb producers. But they were not like AHBs in that they attack in large groups though one hive was somewhat relentless in chasing me.

But I don't want to have to go the extra expense of purchasing a second queen that is determined to have strong AHB traits. It wasn't mentioned if these AHB colonies made queen cells immediately upon the removal of their queen. I would think that a new queen put in immediately would not be received by the colony. I know you put it in a protective cell but how long did it take before the colony decided to accept her? How often did you have to remove queen cells until the queen was accepted?

It's better to know that AHBs are now in southern GA. At least I/you can be aware of the possibility of a AHB queen or drones. Drones to me would be the worst senerio. Especially if they are in packages miles from me. I would have no idea that there is a possibility that in the future a swarm or supercedure queen could be now a AHB colony.


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## Barry (Dec 28, 1999)

*Re: AHBs in GA - Man dead*



USCBeeMan said:


> Haven't been on the site in a while so I don't know if this has been posted already.


Three times already:

http://www.beesource.com/forums/showthread.php?t=247929
http://www.beesource.com/forums/showthread.php?t=247873
http://www.beesource.com/forums/showthread.php?t=247869


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

*Re: AHBs in GA - Man dead*

Is there any way that you, Barry, could just combine all of these Threads into one? It seems like this happens quite often. People must not check out the Today's Posts before starting a new Thread.


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## ChristopherA (Jul 20, 2010)

*Re: AHBs in GA - Man dead*

Well I personnaly erred on side of caution. Last thing I need is a AHB tainted hive stinging my neighbors or kids that play all around my house and beeyard.

I would love to know some actual statistics on whats the likelyhood of getting and AHB tainted queen or package. 1 in 1,000,000....???

What precautions are being taken?

What individual states will do?


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## deknow (Jul 17, 2006)

*Re: AHBs in GA - Man dead*

if you have kids that "play around your beeyard", there is a distinct possibility that kids will get stung...ahb or ehb.

keeping bees (even ehb) dramatically increases the chance that a neighbor will get stung...and also dramatically increase the chance that you will be blamed for the behaviour of any stinging insect in the vicinity.

certainly you don't want overly defensive (or aggressive) bees in a neighborhood. i'm just not sure why anyone cares if they are ehb or ahb.

deknow


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## ChristopherA (Jul 20, 2010)

*Re: AHBs in GA - Man dead*

I think people care because it does change hobbist and beekeeping locations. Most people who keep AHB keep there bees in locations away from populations. Fact is it was a poll and stating our opinion on the matter is all it is. Agree or disagree, its just our opinion. It has put a hold on me buying packaged bees next year and I was planning to buy around 30 to 50 packages or nucs.

I think the key has been for years is to stop the spread of AHB, am I wrong on that?


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## fish_stix (May 17, 2009)

*Re: AHBs in GA - Man dead*

USCBeeMan; we are dealing with the same species of bee here as a normal Italian bee, Apis Mellifera. The AHB have over the eons developed their defensive nature from eons of animals and humans invading their hives and carrying away their combs and honey. They are no different to requeen; place a cell or queen cage in and they will accept it most of the time; no different than your present types of bees. Living in an AHB area, FL, we haven't changed anything about how we do our business. 50 years ago, if we had a hot hive we requeened; what's different today? Joseph Clemens has had AHB a lot longer than I and his technique is the same; hot hive, requeen. Real hot hive, kill them. All the whining and moaning you guys are doing doesn't help you one whit! Practice good beekeeping and you won't have problems with AHB. BTW, quit reading newspaper accounts and you'll have a much better handle on realities of AHB.


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## standman (Mar 14, 2008)

*Re: AHBs in GA - Man dead*

Ken,
I voted yes. Even though I began grafting this past summer, I still plan to order some bees from south Georgia next spring. Most likely I will be getting queen cells, but the gene transfer you are concerned about would still be an issue. Since I want to peak at about 50 hives this year, I plan to be pretty severe in culling undesirable traits, including temperament. But importing bees from the south is a valuable tool to improve our local genetics. We just have to be responsible beekeepers, regardless of the source of the bees we are working with.


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## Barry (Dec 28, 1999)

*Re: AHBs in GA - Man dead*



sqkcrk said:


> Is there any way that you, Barry, could just combine all of these Threads into one?


Done. First time I've resorted to this.


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## peacekeeperapiaries (Jun 23, 2009)

GaSteve said:


> .In FL, they developed the "Best Management Practices" for beekeepers and queen rearers on a voluntary basis to help cope with AHB. Does anyone know how successful that program is?


Queen rearing in FL is very successful, we have 150 hives of nice gentle bees which 90% have our own grafted/ OPEN mated queens.. we as well as many others here in FL are right smack dab in the middle of alledged "AHB Territory" yet maintain gentle colonies and raise gentle queens. Had a colony last week got knocked over by a cow, stupid me went walkin up there to survey the damage and GOT TORE UP!!!!!! AHB??? AHB genetics from AHB drones here in the area???? I think not...that colony had a 4 month old Hawaiian grafted/mated queen....no AHB there yet.....but they sure were mad their home got knocked over and took it out on me....in my opinion we have much larger issues to deal with in regards to bees than AHB genes swimming in the pool....but for those of you who chose not to purchase SOUTHERN packages I will be more than happy to take those extra GA package bees in April/May and have them put on a crop before winter


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