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Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology

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Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology <[log in to unmask]>
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Thu, 4 Oct 2012 09:10:07 -0400
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 >> 40+ is a lot of hives to have just caught in a non-AFB location.

 > Whats a non-AFB location?

Ooops.  I see now.  That was a typo.  Meant AHB.

Assuming readers guessed my meaning, and I'm guessing some did and some 
didn't --

Assuming you did, that is a good question.  There may not be (m)any in 
the US now depending on how you define AHB, and as we have discussed 
here, that is a slippery question.

There are areas in the southern US which most agree were 'invaded' by a 
a wave of bees which were descended from migrating scutellata stock 
imported by Kerr to Brazil decades back and possibly other introductions 
of scutellata, known and unknown.

The leading edge of the migration up from South America was very swarmy 
and aggressive.  That is why they arrived first.  As with any invasion 
or colonization, the frontier tends to be a bit wild, but things settle 
down afterwards for a number of reasons.  That is another topic.

Additionally, the USDA brought _selected_ queens from that same original 
stock up from Brazil in the 70's and distributed some of that stock. 
Obviously, that branch was tame enough to recommend.

Furthermore, in recent years. beekeepers. deliberately or accidentally 
moved hives from areas which are designated as AHB throughout pretty 
well the entire contiguous US.

So, it is a good question, but I am referring to the areas officially 
designated as 'AHB'.

Incidentally, Tucson was one of the first AHB areas and during the 
initial wave, the town was overrun with swarms.  Catching and hiving 
those swarms was a big part of how Dee and Ed built back up from their 
second major crash, and IMO the main reason they moved to smaller and 
smaller cells and the main reason for their low mite levels and low AFB 
-- and low yields.

FWIW, AHB are not always _extremely_ vicious, especially when managed 
and selected and particularly when the colonies are small or in 
temperate areas.  The picture on my website of Ed examining a frame of 
bees: http://www.honeybeeworld.com/Lusby/images2/Lusby%20035.jpg
was taken in a yard in Tucson.  I was wearing shorts and no veil and 
standing several feet away.

More pictures:
http://www.honeybeeworld.com/Lusby/default.htm
http://www.honeybeeworld.com/Lusby/2005.htm

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