>Haven't heard too much on the AHB on this list these days? Maybee I should
>be happy that we beekeepers aren't getting too riled up about these
>newcomers.  :)
 
Hi Paul,
 
No news is good news. Have not even seen a wire report of any deaths
from any kind of bees this year, but you can be sure there were some.
I guess this was the year of hyping the "silent spring of the honeybee"
so interest was directed towards the reports for sea to sea and boarder
to boarder of the decline of the feral honeybee. Hardly a week goes by
here that someone does not predict the complete loss of agriculture
because of the declining honeybee populations. This is BS, at least
here in California with the very poor flying conditions we had this
spring for bee pollination all our crops have been good, but this
kind of hype does sell papers and will no doubt glean a few study
grants. Would not surprise me to see some "green" organization come out
with suggestions for new laws prohibiting beekeepers from catching
swarms until the feral population is up to strength.
 
>Just curious where their migration is taking them these days. I know they
>are moving East and West across the Southern States, and have not made it
>past Blythe in S. Calif.
 
Yes, and the one's found in Blyth came in by train if you want to
believe the Department of Agriculture. Someone should ask them why they
got off at Blythe and did not make the trip to the end of the line which
could be at the Canadian boarder.
 
Since there are very few people in the world out side of Africa that
can be sure they have the so called "AFRO" bee without doing very
expensive tests there is no way to tell if they have reached the Canadian
boarder yet as federal money has all but dried up to look for them.
 
>However, I am anticipating their arrival in Santa Barbara some time in the
>future. But when?
 
Why? I would think that most beekeepers would not be looking forward to
the arrival of the African Bees, unless you are one of the non
beeleavers who does not believe the hype and body count of the thousands
of people they have killed making their way to Santa Barbara?
 
I can tell you for a fact, reported to me by people who do know they
have African "killer" bees and work with them every day, that the
African bees along the boarder in Arizona are nasty, but all the bees
are hot there and any of them will sting your pockets shut without
extreme care when you work them. A lit smoker and veil on. The crosses
of these bees are A OK, and are very productive. The real thing produces
a lot of brood that is used to make nucs with other type queens to keep
them from leaving.
 
The Texas Afro bee, the TEX-MEX bee has caused NO problems in California
pollinating Almonds the last three years and can not even be identified
by temper when in California. The Texas beekeeper's report the first
cross with their favorite stock to be very productive.
 
In any case if you have someone who is into DNA testing you may be able
to have your bees tested for AHB genes. Don't be surprised if they come
back low level positive because Africa is not that far from Italy and
some of our stock early in the century was imported direct including
a few from Africa so the genes are around sometimes described as being
Egyptian which is still part of Africa as far as I know.
 
What really matters is how bees are perceived by the public. All the
hype of those looking for public support and money has distorted the
facts, and because these perditions of the end of the world have not
come true public interest and funds are not as easy to get for bee
research on bees. Some have yelled the "sky is falling" one too many
times and it is now falling on the support for beekeeping study
projects.
 
If the public uses common sense when around bees there is no problem.
The warning and instructions put out by the various government agencies
to the public are no different from those cautions one should use with
any honey bees. In fact if the reference to African and "killer" bees
were removed or replaced with Italian or Brother Adam, or what ever you
have these official warning and caution would be just as appropriate and
make a lot of sense. Well maybe not the one's that call for a daily
inspection of your property for "killer" bees.<G>
 
                                ttul Andy-
 
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---
 ~ QMPro 1.53 ~ "Where there are fruits & nuts, there are beekeepers"