>I was just taken to task for this statement. I welcome any and all descriptions of modern beekeeping operations that are successfully using African bees. I am not an authority on them and rely on the experiences of others, especially that of Ernesto Guzman, who worked with them for decades in Mexico. My firsthand experience involves a few colonies, some of which were meaner than hornets. I found them completely unsuitable to be kept around human habitation. Your mileage may vary.

We handled them in Trinidad - without getting stung.  Very large smoker used to smoke every colony in the apiary before starting work and kept on hand all the time.

The biggest problem that I found was that they were not quiet on the comb - just very quick to run and boil out over the sides of the hive.  A sharp contrast to our own colonies which are usually given just a few puffs of smoke under the OMF and then often not smoked again for the whole time that they are open.

Agree that I would not keep AHB near human habitation as they are too volatile.

Best wishes

Peter 
52°14'44.44"N, 1°50'35"W

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