Bee Attack.....

[chrisy]

Just watched a programme on the Africanised Bee Population in America, wow how bad are they, another thing from Mexico you didn't want.

has anyone ever encountered them? they sound awful, and easily aggitated. They found one hive that had over 55,000 bees in it, it was about 3 foot in length and over a year old, they bagged it up and froze it over night so as they could look inside of it properly. They said the European bee's sting is just as bad but they don't come after you in droves like the Africanised variety. Sure glad we don't have them over here.

it looked like one of those cartoons, when you see a swarm of bee's going after someone, when they showed this man being attacked, fortunatly he was OK he managed to get in the house before to many got on him and he jumpped in the shower and washed them off of himself, he had a few dozen stings, he was a big strong man so they said that is how his body survived. The Old lady a little down the road was not so lucky, her body could not take the strain and she died within 15 mins. That's bad.

Take care when out in those tree area's, and don't provoce a bee.

 

[Just Curious]

I saw a program like that and I found it very interesting too! I have two hives of bees and they are pretty cool little critters..
When they were mentioning how the African strain infiltrate into a normal, the first thought was that I really don't want bees that bad. But then they went on to say that they don't like the cold and that currently it is the cold winter temperatures that keep them south of Montana... My bees seem to weather the cold temps just fine...
It is kind of amazing to open up a hive and have thousand of bees flying around you... I have found them to be pretty docile... Unless you squish one and then you're in deep kah kah...

 

[milesvb]

I came across these guys yesterday evening. I don't know if they are africanized, mexicanized or what. The workers didn't have green cards and I didn't ask them lest they get "provoked". In any case they were probably just here to make the honey american bees won't make.

 

[Pegram]

I hate bees :x

 

[chrisy]

I came across these guys yesterday evening. I don't know if they are africanized, mexicanized or what. The workers didn't have green cards and I didn't ask them lest they get "provoked". In any case they were probably just here to make the honey american bees won't make.

the area you are in figured on the program I watched, they said if you found wild bee's to call the Rangers and they would come and investigate. Looking at that many, they could kill, if they are Africanised, I wouldn't stay around near them.

 

[Mahoney Pursley Ranch]

Had a bunch like that hanging on my pipe fence last fall. Killed everyone of them with some wasp and hornet killer that sprays a direct stream from the can a long distance. They dropped dead in one huge pile.

 

[mnmtranching]

First the hogs, now the bees 8) You Texans have all the fun.

 

[TxCoUnTrYbOy]

One of the things I am really scared of are any of those stinging critters. Im the first one to run when a bee or wasp is near.

 

[Mahoney Pursley Ranch]

One of the things I am really scared of are any of those stinging critters. Im the first one to run when a bee or wasp is near.

What's that the Govenator calls em, oh yeah "Girlie Man". Just kidding. :lol:

 

[Bez>]

One green plastic garbage bag and a couple of supers with frames of wax comb - you would have had a free beehive.

Hold the bag open under the swarm and tap the branch hard with a stick - most would have fallen into the bag - the queen will be in the middle of the swarm. Close up the bag and take them home.

Pretty simple procedure.

Pic is not good enough to tell for sure - but they look very much like Italian honey bees - a closer shot and I could have confirmed.

Swarm of bees in May is worth a load of hay.
Swarm of bees in June is worth a silver spoon.
Swarm of bees in July isn't worth a fly.

Regards,

Bez>

 

[Just Curious]

One green plastic garbage bag and a couple of supers with frames of wax comb - you would have had a free beehive.

Hold the bag open under the swarm and tap the branch hard with a stick - most would have fallen into the bag - the queen will be in the middle of the swarm. Close up the bag and take them home.

Pretty simple procedure.

Pic is not good enough to tell for sure - but they look very much like Italian honey bees - a closer shot and I could have confirmed.

Swarm of beed in May is worth a load of hay.
Swarm of bees in June is worth a silver spoon.
Swarm of bees in July isn't worth a fly.

Regards,

Bez>

Amen Brother... To hit them with wasp spray is like driving by fresh road-kill.....

 

[andybob]

The African bees are very prolific honey gatherers, a local beekeeper used to leave several hundred hives on the farm during aloe flowering season, nobody on the farm was ever stung despite the number of bees foraging, and we were paid in honey! a welcome bonus.

 

[Cow_Town]

Dang little minions of the devil himself. I hate any flying stinging insect and the feelings mutual. They dont have to be Africanized, its like they sense my feelings towards them and I become an instant target when our paths cross. I have been attacked by the African ones once, luckily I was pretty fast on my feet and escaped unscathed, but they sure tried. I try to avoid all bees whenever possible. I have run through a swarm driving down the highway before too, couldnt hardly get the windows up in time.

 

[Ryder]

Dang little minions of the devil himself. I hate any flying stinging insect and the feelings mutual. They dont have to be Africanized, its like they sense my feelings towards them and I become an instant target when our paths cross.

They do sense your feelings. Best to completely relax and it is harder for them to pick you up. But you can't let yourself feel any negative emotion or they will zero in on you.

 

[IL Rancher]

I don't know much about the Africanized Honey bees (Except my wife telling me we can't move south since we might move into their future range :lol: but I saw a special once on the Japanese Hornet and frankly, it made the africanized bee look down right friendly... Darn things were size of hummingbirds... Scary big and lots of sting in their stingers..

 

[milesvb]

One green plastic garbage bag and a couple of supers with frames of wax comb - you would have had a free beehive.

Hold the bag open under the swarm and tap the branch hard with a stick - most would have fallen into the bag - the queen will be in the middle of the swarm. Close up the bag and take them home.

Pretty simple procedure.

Pic is not good enough to tell for sure - but they look very much like Italian honey bees - a closer shot and I could have confirmed.

Swarm of bees in May is worth a load of hay.
Swarm of bees in June is worth a silver spoon.
Swarm of bees in July isn't worth a fly.

Regards,

Bez>

Swarm of bees in March is worth?

They finally left Sunday morning. I guess it took the scouts that long to find a hollow tree they liked.

 

[Just Curious]

One green plastic garbage bag and a couple of supers with frames of wax comb - you would have had a free beehive.

Hold the bag open under the swarm and tap the branch hard with a stick - most would have fallen into the bag - the queen will be in the middle of the swarm. Close up the bag and take them home.

Pretty simple procedure.

Pic is not good enough to tell for sure - but they look very much like Italian honey bees - a closer shot and I could have confirmed.

Swarm of bees in May is worth a load of hay.
Swarm of bees in June is worth a silver spoon.
Swarm of bees in July isn't worth a fly.

Regards,

Bez>

Swarm of bees in March is worth?

They finally left Sunday morning. I guess it took the scouts that long to find a hollow tree they liked.

I just place an order for a package of bees that will be delivered the end of April... (Lost one of my hives over the winter) The package, including a queen, was about $75.00

 

[Bez>]

One green plastic garbage bag and a couple of supers with frames of wax comb - you would have had a free beehive.

Hold the bag open under the swarm and tap the branch hard with a stick - most would have fallen into the bag - the queen will be in the middle of the swarm. Close up the bag and take them home.

Pretty simple procedure.

Pic is not good enough to tell for sure - but they look very much like Italian honey bees - a closer shot and I could have confirmed.

Swarm of bees in May is worth a load of hay.
Swarm of bees in June is worth a silver spoon.
Swarm of bees in July isn't worth a fly.

Regards,

Bez>

Swarm of bees in March is worth?

They finally left Sunday morning. I guess it took the scouts that long to find a hollow tree they liked.

I just place an order for a package of bees that will be delivered the end of April... (Lost one of my hives over the winter) The package, including a queen, was about $75.00

Have you ever tried splitting a hive and introducing a new queen? It is simple and it works - you just need a real strong hive.

I leave the queen in her cage but remove the attendants - pull out the cork plug and use wax and honey to replace it. By the time the queen is released by the bees in the "queenless" super, they have accepted her. Cheap and itr works.

As for a swarm of bees on March - well, up here they are still not considering anything other than cleansing flight. Snowed here again on the weeekend. That little ditty was put together by someone from well north of you! 8)

Regards,

Bez>

 

[Just Curious]

Have you ever tried splitting a hive and introducing a new queen? It is simple and it works - you just need a real strong hive.
I leave the queen in her cage but remove the attendants - pull out the cork plug and use wax and honey to replace it. By the time the queen is released by the bees in the "queenless" super, they have accepted her. Cheap and itr works.

Regards,

Bez>

I have never tried to split a hive... I would not mind trying it as the bees don't worry me. But with the luck that I have had with bees so far (4 years of playing now), I would buy a queen, split the hive, and the half that I put in with the "New" queen will also have the "Old" queen...
I have done the same thing with the package of bees that I get but I use the granulated (Cream) honey to plug the hole in the queen cage...
I don't know what I am doing wrong, I use the miticides in the fall and in general take pretty good care of the hives... But the fact that I have had one now make it through the winter, I am a step further along than I have ever gotten before!
Have you found any tricks to quickly locating the queen in a hive?

 

[Bez>]

Have you ever tried splitting a hive and introducing a new queen? It is simple and it works - you just need a real strong hive.
I leave the queen in her cage but remove the attendants - pull out the cork plug and use wax and honey to replace it. By the time the queen is released by the bees in the "queenless" super, they have accepted her. Cheap and itr works.

Regards,

Bez>

I have never tried to split a hive... I would not mind trying it as the bees don't worry me. But with the luck that I have had with bees so far (4 years of playing now), I would buy a queen, split the hive, and the half that I put in with the "New" queen will also have the "Old" queen...
I have done the same thing with the package of bees that I get but I use the granulated (Cream) honey to plug the hole in the queen cage...
I don't know what I am doing wrong, I use the miticides in the fall and in general take pretty good care of the hives... But the fact that I have had one now make it through the winter, I am a step further along than I have ever gotten before!
Have you found any tricks to quickly locating the queen in a hive?

Locating the queen - pull out the frames one by one and look for her. She will not fly away and she is very much larger than the workers as you know. Leave one frame out and simply move the others over as you look at them. When you are finished put the one on the ground back in the super.

I generally can find her in about 5 minutes or less.

Over winter - wrap well with insulation and leave a top hole open. Put the hives 4 to a group and wrap them as one. Block the bottom holes - put mouse bait around the hive and under the hives. I place the hives on a pallet - 4 to a pallet and they stay that way forever - two are side by side and therefore two are back to back.

Feed them sugar water -as much as they will take - take as much honey away as possible - less cleansing flights required for defecation.

Contact the Alberta Honey Co-op - Edmonton I think - they have some excellent information on over wintering in cold weather. My bees used to make it through minus 45 with no probs - would always lose a few - natural attrition.

Oh, the new queen goes in the other half!! 8)

Bez>