# Africanized bees in Wisconsin?



## Superdog (Apr 22, 2008)

I heard a new one today..... I live in Wisconsin and met someone also from Wisconsin who keeps bees. I will admit I haven’t been doing this long, but I have read almost everything I could find and this is hard for me to believe. This person I met, said he is raising and breeding afticanized bees, along with other bees from Australia and other areas, here in Wisconsin and has been for years. He said he has a license from the FDA to raise and breed them here with other breeds so they will be able to withstand the winters. I asked him if he was worried about them getting too hot, and he said, “no, I can move them into the shade.” :scratch:: When I explained I meant “hot “ as in mean and aggressive, he said he doesn’t care. He will just wear a bee suit then. Maybe I am ignorant and believe it when I read that africanized bees can’t live this far north cause they will never make it through the winter. Personally, I think this guy is either throwing me a bone to see if I am gullible enough to believe him, or maybe he is off his rocker. Either way.... what do you all think?

Mike


----------



## BEES4U (Oct 10, 2007)

*what do you all think?*

I attended a Calif. Bee Convention in San Diego many years ago, 1972 or 1973, and I can remember the key note speaker saying that the Afican strain of bee is phototropic and will fly when there is sunshine.
Whereas the Euopean strains are thermotropic and will fly at say 55 degrees F.
Regards,
Ernie


----------



## JohnK and Sheri (Nov 28, 2004)

Years ago, the Madison bee lab _was_ part of the FDA experimentation with Africanized bees, but I don't think any remnant of that still exists. I think this guy was pulling your leg.
I would love to know his name and where he lives.
Sheri


----------



## Barry (Dec 28, 1999)

Yeah, I was just reading again, some of the reports of that experiment.

http://beesource.com/pov/ahb/viciousbee.htm

I'm sure some of the genetics got into the local population, but who knows what percent it is by now. Not much I would think.


----------



## Superdog (Apr 22, 2008)

Barry said:


> Yeah, I was just reading again, some of the reports of that experiment.
> 
> http://beesource.com/pov/ahb/viciousbee.htm
> 
> I'm sure some of the genetics got into the local population, but who knows what percent it is by now. Not much I would think.


He told me that he brings them in from Africa, and other places. I asked if he was having problems getting bees from Australia and he said something about not being about to get them thru Europe, but he could get them from Australia. :scratch: Again... he may be a few sandwiches short of a picnic.


----------



## Bud Dingler (Feb 8, 2008)

*and to think I was recently ridiculed*

by claiming that some commercial beeks are eager to get AHB genetics in their operations as they are a hard bee to kill and are resistant to mites.


----------



## Ross (Apr 30, 2003)

Bud Dingler said:


> by claiming that some commercial beeks are eager to get AHB genetics in their operations as they are a hard bee to kill and are resistant to mites.


No, it was because you said all bees from southern breeders carried AHB genes.


----------



## KQ6AR (May 13, 2008)

I bet most of the southern open mated queens do.
Also no way is the WI guy importing them from Africa.


----------



## afss (Mar 19, 2009)

not legally maybe, but that doesn't mean hes not


----------



## Superdog (Apr 22, 2008)

afss said:


> not legally maybe, but that doesn't mean hes not


He claimed to be licensed by the FDA for africanized bees.

The more I think about what he told me the more I think he was ignorant but wanted to sound like he was a big time bee keeper. While talking to him, when he said africanized bees, I asked "africanized bees?" and he said "yes, they also call them killer bees" That doesn't sound like something a breeder would say.


----------



## Ben Brewcat (Oct 27, 2004)

Um, he is having trouble ordering AHB from Europe but can order AHB from Australia, and has a "license from the FDA" to breed bees? I would think someone selectively breeding with AHB for cold-tolerance would recognize a term like "hot" bees. And why in the world wouldn't a breeder be trying instead to breed EHB to have AHB's disease-resistant traits instead of breeding the world's least favorite bee simply to be able to spread more aggressively? Granted WI winters aren't anything like they were when I was growing up, but I think this cat has spent a couple too many days in the poorly-ventilated ice shanty with Sterno heat, popping some whippets and sipping grandma's brandy slush .


----------



## adamf (Jan 28, 2006)

*Fda?*



Superdog said:


> He claimed to be licensed by the FDA for africanized bees.


Curious: what does the FDA have to do with Animal Breeding/Importation?

Adam Finkelstein
www.vpqueenbees.com


----------



## Roland (Dec 14, 2008)

*first frost.*

Here is a clue - every really "HOT" hive I ever met, barely made it past the first frost. 

Roland in Wisconsin


----------



## JohnK and Sheri (Nov 28, 2004)

adamf said:


> Curious: what does the FDA have to do with Animal Breeding/Importation?
> 
> Adam Finkelstein
> www.vpqueenbees.com


Quite right. It wasn't FDA but USDA that played around with african bees.:doh:
Sheri


----------



## berkshire bee (Jan 28, 2007)

I would happily swap a few tall tales with him. Make up some outrageous story and tell it with a straight face, or find or make up a couple of names and ask him something like "Do your bees come from the ballyhoo region or genghis region of Africa." If he picks one, you have your answer.


----------



## DoubleB (Sep 23, 2006)

Think he was talking "BULL" not "BEES".


----------



## Kieck (Dec 2, 2005)

Whole story smacks of a tall tale.

Africanized bees don't "get hot." They are hot. Right from the start.

The FDA versus USDA confusion is another clue.

And, from what I've read and know about Africanized honey bees, swarming is a bigger issue to breeding than over winter survival. AHB tend to swarm early and often, which is not a trait that might make them seem desirable for beekeepers.


----------



## honeyman46408 (Feb 14, 2003)

> The more I think about what he told me the more I think he was ignorant but wanted to sound like he was a big time bee keeper.


How many do *we* run into that fits this discription


----------



## Oldbee (Sep 25, 2006)

Superdog! I thought we had an 'agreement' to keep this as 'classified information' for a while? That's the last time I 'talk bees' with you!  

Actually, I know a beekeeper who went to Africa on a 'vacation' ; so, who knows.


----------



## wfarler (Jul 9, 2003)

*check the shoes*

very large red shoes, orange hair and a red ball nose can often be a tip off.

maybe he was just trying to scare you aware from his territory


----------



## Aspera (Aug 1, 2005)

JohnK and Sheri said:


> Quite right. It wasn't FDA but USDA that played around with african bees.:doh:
> Sheri


+ 1 on this answer. 

APHIS, a branch of the USDA regulates animal importation. As a USDA accredited veterinarian, I can tell you that this guy has no concept of how the regulatory agencies function. Even USDA breeders would have a difficult time gaining approval for what he is claiming to do. Why do you think all of the Russian stock was originally located on an off shore isolated apiary? Hint: It wasn't to preserve the purity of the stock.


----------



## rw3212 (Apr 8, 2008)

*AHB Swarm???*

AHB's don't swarm much :lpf:

I had 1 hive in October and 6 in May without buying any. And I know that 2 swarms got away from me, maybe more. 

They were a gift from an old commercial beek.


That was in the Rio Grande Valley 5 miles from Hidalgo, Tx.


----------



## Tom G. Laury (May 24, 2008)

*Bee imports*

I'm still very curious as to the protocol allowing the Australian bees to enter. Not even the AIA was consulted.


----------



## HAB (May 17, 2008)

TALL Tales from a SHORT mind.:applause::applause::applause:


----------



## Dr.Wax (Apr 30, 2008)

Sounds like he might be intimidated by your knowledge of beekeeping and is attempting some one-upsmanship.


----------



## DButterfly (Apr 3, 2017)

*Re: check the shoes*

I'm sorry to regurgitate this thread after so long, but I have a Question/concern: I sure HOPE some of you guys will lend an ear, and shoot your thoughts...

I was hoping to buy a NUC, and START beekeeping, so I asked a few questions of the person in charge of the NUC sales at our local Beekeeper Assn Meeting... Apparently, the hives, are transient, they base out of NY, but go to Cal for Almonds, then move around til they get to Florida for Orange.. then a respite in NY before being shipped to South Carolina for breeding.. So A, it is definitely a southern Drone, and 2, I question the Queen's genetics, especially knowing that they have traveled through so many Africanized states, and who knows if the Queen was superseded in any of those areas... 3 with being so transient, I worry that no matter the answers to 1 and 2, the Queen nor the hive are ready for a full on NorEaster... All thoughts appreciated... THANKS


----------



## birddog (May 10, 2016)

*Re: check the shoes*

Unless your supplyer has a reputation for the conserns mentiond. Dond over think it and ware your bee jacket while learning. In the event you are un happy with them you can requeen,,, on rhe orher hand often commercial operations offer bees that build well while thay may may not be suted for everything quick growing is a good place to start


----------



## rwmccor (Feb 29, 2012)

*Re: check the shoes*

I'am also new 2nd year,but I'am thinking this guy must
move his hot hives to the shade and use his his crack pipe
vapor to treat them for mites.

rolleyes:guess I will have to start looking at the dates of some
of these posts)


----------



## DButterfly (Apr 3, 2017)

*Re: check the shoes*



birddog said:


> Unless your supplyer has a reputation for the conserns mentiond. Dond over think it and ware your bee jacket while learning. In the event you are un happy with them you can requeen,,, on rhe orher hand often commercial operations offer bees that build well while thay may may not be suted for everything quick growing is a good place to start


Thanks BirdDog, I ended up getting from a Swarm Chaser, N PA, all local girls, then last month, caught my 1st swarm, now worried about getting them thru winter


----------

