# ID in Las Vegas



## warrior (Nov 21, 2005)

I can't speak with any absolute authority as I don't live in an AHB area or have any AHB experience but I do know a little about bees.

If you have AHB colonies in your area then yes you have to be concerned. Concerned enough to forego beekeeping, not at all. I assume you will be purchasing bees of a known origin, ie not AHB or bred to AHB. So as long as your original mated queen is alive, healthy and laying non AHB eggs your hive will no meaner or calmer than any other strain of honey bee and some "pure" european bees can be downright nasty just as they can be pussy cats. The average will be somewhere in between.
The trouble comes when the old queen goes to that hive in the sky. If the new queen goes out to meet the local boys and the local boys are AHB then you will have AHB. BTW, AHB boys by nature are early risers and have a leg up in the dating game over their european cousins.
So how to avoid this, you ask?
KEEP TRACK OF YOUR QUEEN.
Know that she is alive and well and active and not planning to swarm. If in doubt replace her with a known origin queen. 

BTW, foraging bees of any type are focused on foraging and ignore everything else.


----------



## stixin2016 (Feb 1, 2016)

Hi, when your queen is replaced by the bees, (eventually) or she dies. They will rear a new one. Then when she goes on her mating flight she will mate with many drones in the area. If one drone is an AHB ,she may carry those genes and breed AHB's.I would always keep an eye out for behavioral changes in them, as far as aggressive behavior. You will know if it happens. I would say its a gamble. Hopefully there are other bee keepers near you who don't have ahb"s. Good luck, hope it works out! SAVE THE HONEY BEES!


----------

