>>> Barry Birkey <[log in to unmask]> 06/12/01 12:50PM>>>
How is it that there are supposedly these random boundaries that no AHB's
have crossed? Example: No AHB's to deal with right around Navasota, TX, yet
they can be found much further North, even in mountainous areas with colder
climates?
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

No AHB around Navasota?  Not true.  Grimes county (home of R. Weaver and B. Weaver Apiaries at Lynn Grove) borders Washington and Austin Counties, both of which are quarantined.  I bought a package from B. Weaver Apiaries that, I was told, was shook in an apiary near Bellville, which is in Washington County (which is quarantined).  I don't know where the queen was mated.  Burleson & Lee Counties of Texas are now quarantined as of May 21 after AHB were found in a trap 3 miles west of Caldwell (in Burleson County).  Brazos County (where I live) undoubtedly will not be far behind.  Grimes (adjacent to Brazos) surely will soon follow.

If you're interested in learning more about AHB in Texas visit http://agnews.tamu.edu/bees/.

FWIW:  The bees in the package that I purchased from B. Weaver Apiaries weren't aggressive.  The only problem that I had with them was that the queen (one of the new Harbo SMR experimental queens) turned to be a dud.  More about that in another post.

I visited with Richard Weaver (of R. Weaver Apiaries) last week when I dropped by to pick up a queen (a Weaver All American Italian) and he told me that the Buckfasts have been exhibiting a tendency to "get mean all of a sudden," particularly after one supersedure.  I can attest to this fact.  I have a former Buckfast hive that superceded this year and they are some of the nastiest bees I've ever had the misfortune of having to deal with.  I got popped on the hand three times just smoking the entrance yesterday when I worked them.  I finally put on the gauntlets but they managed to get me anyway (mostly stinging through my half rolled up shirt sleeves).  And they're not producing a thing.  They won't even draw foundation (all my other hive do).  AHB?  Doubt it.  They didn't pursue me when I stepped away from the hive and they didn't boil out when I took the lid off.  Did my supersedure queen mate with some AHB drones, perhaps?  Possibly.  But I've heard from a lot of other folks that Buckfasts have been getting testy after one generation, so this sounds about normal.

So far, all of my experiences over the past 18 years or so with Weaver Bees (all of which, since Howard Weaver & Sons shut down, have been from Daniel & Binford at B. Weaver Apiaries) have been outstanding.  Both the Buckfasts (prior to supersedure) and the All American Italians have been so gentle that I haven't even needed to wear a veil when working them, and they produce a good surplus even in bad years.  My strongest colony this year is an All American, and they're exceptionally gentle.  B. Weaver's refused to replace the experimental Harbo SMR queen that was a dud right out of the cage, so I have to admit that I'm not real happy about that.  I now do business with R. Weaver Apiaries who also sell Buckfasts and All Americans.  I heartily recommend both types.

The only other bees from Texas that I've heard anything about lately are Italians from Clint Walker at Walker Apiaries in Rogers.  I've not yet tried any, but a couple of folks that I know have and they tell me that some of them have been gentle, some of them kind of mean.  Perhaps Rodney Holloway or Layne Westover here at A&M could post something about them (ya'll out there?).

I remember a quite a few (ten or more) years ago seeing ads in Gleanings for someone in Kenedy (which is in South Texas) selling bees and queens, but I don't recall the name and I never purchased any.

But, as has previously been noted, Navasota is nowhere near South Texas.  I would consider anything South of San Antonio to be South Texas.  Are there other breeders that really are in South Texas?

I have 9 hives in my back yard in a residential neighborhood.  No complaints from the neighbors.  And I intend to keep it that way by re-queening when they get aggressive (like I'm doing right now with the former Buckfasts).  With the high probability of AHB in the area it's now a way of life.

Let's hear from some folks that really are in South Texas.  Anyone from Corpus (my home town)?  How about the Valley?  Speak up!

Take care,

Lance Parr
Network Specialist II
Physical Plant Telecommunications
Texas A&M University
Mail Stop 1371
College Station, Texas  77843-1371
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(979) 458-1746