Being an ex-Texan I'm very interested to hear the Africanised honeybee
stories.
 
The following is a (longish) set of notes I made a month or so ago when
the National Beekeepers Association of New Zealand had the pleasure of
having Dr Mark Winston (Simon Fraser University, author of excellent
book about Africanised bees) at our national conference.
 
Several local media people who were not able to come to the talk asked
me if I would keep some notes, so they are not in an 'article' form, but
just my own rough notes.  I didn't get a chance to check them out with
Mark, but feel I caught the talk pretty well.
 
He also had some very interesting slides to accompany.
 
I hope I don't offend anyone by these two longer postings...
 
********************************
 
NOTES FROM A SPEECH BY MARK WINSTON
Talk to National Beekeepers Association of New Zealand
19 July 1994
Notes by Nick Wallingford
 
Going to talk about the Africanised honeybee, what has been referred to
in press as "killer bees".  Movie he really liked was "The Swarm",
describing how the killer bees swept up through Texas, destroying
nuclear facility, nearly wiping out Houston, killed by Army mortar
bombing oil slick on Gulf where they had drawn bees to a foghorn sound
that imitated the mating sound of the drone.  (Laughter).  Wants to give
a more realistic picture.
 
Africanised honeybee is sub-species of the Apis mellifera we work with.
A mellifera not native to the Americas.  European honeybees not
generally good production in the tropics; more suited to temperate
climates.  African honeybees had good reputation in tropics, but
aggressive behaviour.  In 1950s African honeybees brought to Brazil;
intention to breed for gentle, good honey production bees.
 
26 (or more likely more; stories differ) queens escaped and established
feral colonies.  Spread through South America, Central America and now
the US.  Estimates are that there are 50-100 million feral colonies.
They moved north from Brazil fast - 300-500 km per year.
 
MW studied AHB beginning in 1975 in French Guyana, but also in
Venezuela, Peru and almost all over South and Central Americas.
 
Photos of Africanised honeybees in 'friendly' situations - his boss
holding a swarm on a limb (describes the problems of being a graduate
student, having to climb the tree, being bitten by ants, to cut the
swarm down so his professor could be in the photo!).  Small unit with
person with no veil or gloves.  Many situations where the AHB is NOT a
problem.
 
Describes French Guyana.  Rainforests, dry for 8 months of year.  Solid
rain for 3-4 months.  Famous for Devils Island (actually 3 islands, 16
km off shore).  AHB had established there, flying the 16 km!
 
AHB is only slightly smaller (10%) and sometimes darker than normal
honeybees, not 6' long as sometimes described!  Cell size smaller; makes
difficult to use normal wax foundation.
 
Nest in hollow logs, etc, the same as mellifera.  Only real difference
is in smaller colonies.  AHB will also readily nest in the open
(externally) - dangerous because the bees can see you coming and will
attack.  Story of student walking around corner and close to swarm in
open - got 8000 stings.  Will establish almost anywhere, often even
flying through open window to establish in houses.  Swarms usually
small, not so much of a problem, but if colony gets large can be
difficult to deal with.
 
Spread mostly through mating with local population.  Some takeover, but
mostly mating.  In Brazil honey production went rapidly down, causing
country to become net importer of honey for a period.  Similar in
Venezuela - honey production almost down to zero, then slight climb back
up as management techniques learned.
 
Major problems:
Swarming
Absconding
Exaggerated aggressive behaviour
 
Swarming.  European bees swarm 1 per season, maybe 1 afterswarm.  AHB
will swarm every 2 months through dry season with 2 afterswarms.  One
colony can create up to 70 new colonies each year.  With mortality
rates, still gives 16 per year, a 16 fold increase in colony numbers.
No wonder it spreads so well.  This behaviour major impact on beekeeper.
 
Absconding.  For various reasons (buffo toad eating 1000s of bees a day)
(he knows; as graduate student, he had to cut the frogs open and piece
the bits together to count the bees!), or army ants ("battle of the
social insects") the bees will just leave hive, abandon nest, move.  Up
to 30% abscond during wet season to search for forage.
 
Stinging.  Each sting the same as mellifera.  Same amount, type of
poison.  Problem comes in multiple stings.  Often massive attack if
close to colony.
 
end part one...