I did a limited survey of beekeeping outfits and honey processors in
Ethiopia last summer and had some interesting experiences with African
bees.  I worked mostly in the highlands over 7000 feet and when meeting
beekeepers asked repeatedly to take a look at the bees, while being told
the bees were too dangerous.  We did get a chance to get in to three
different bee yards over the course of 2 weeks and found the bees to be
manageable with smoke and really quite reasonable.  We then went down into
the Rift Valley at a lower elevation and were told the bees were dangerous
and to stay out of them to avoid harming livestock and children.  I have
had similar experiences in Sudan and Malawi at lower elevations with
African bees, where in some cases guards were posted to keep children and
livestock away from bee yards for 24 hours after we worked the bees.

Bill Lord
Louisburg, NC

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