"[log in to unmask]" <[log in to unmask]> wrote:." On the other hand, when long time beekeepers report getting dozens of stings while picking berries some 40-50 ft away from the hives, that's a new development for sure and reason for concern."


When the only thing one has is the stated experience of an individual, without any physical evidence, then all one has is assumption and conjecture. NO AHBs have been found to exist in New York. If anyone think otherwise, show me the evidence. Multiple stings from a distant, aggressive hive do not AHBs make. I had an experience with a beekeeper one time. He was riding with me in my truck. When we entered the yard, he said to stop 100 feet from his hives. As I was getting out of the truck Jim tryed to tell me to put my veil on before I got out. Too late. As soon as I was out of the truck I got hit several times in the chest and a couple of times in the head before I could get my veil on. Jim insisted on checking the two tallest and meanest colonies in the yard first. I agreed, 'cause I wanted to get the most uncomfortable one done first so we could enjoy the rest of the yard. There was no thought that they were AHB, they were just aggressive.  While at school in Wooster, Ohio!
  there
 were two colonies of bees in a corn field behiond my house that were so mean that the farmer hadn't touched them for years. I believe that these may have been German Black Bees. Smallish and very defensive and pretty good producers. I'd still rather have bees that can be worked in short sleeves and w/out a veil on those hot sunny days when the nectar flow is on.


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