>Is the BeeWeaver Breed Africanized?
I think we all know the answer to the above. To what degree is the question.
> Our mating grounds are in an area where Africanized bees have been found.
Yet Navasota county remains on the maps AHB free?
It really makes no difference to me if Paul Jackson (Texas State Bee
inspector) wants to leave the county AHB free on the maps.
Politics or really no AHB finds?
>We feel it did effect our stock's temperament for the first 5-10 years,
>beginning in 1994.
> Most of those feral African colonies have been watered down by our stock
> (and other US beekeeper's stock) breeding with them and many of the
> colonies have died out.
I really do agree with the Weavers on the above. Especially when I have
personal experience both with AHB in Texas and AHb (fresh off the boat ) in
Florida. I did and article in the American Bee Journal on the first AHB
finds in Florida ( courtesy of Jerry Hayes & the Florida bee inspection
service).
Our researchers were way off in what they said would happen in the U.S. when
AHb crossed the *Texas border.* End of commercial beekeeping. Hide the women
and children! Its almost laughable now to go back and reread a few of those
articles from the 60's,70's & 80's!
The bee which arrived in Texas was a far cry from the bee which escaped in
Brazil. Researchers claimed slowly the scutellata genes would replace all
European genes but did not happen and is not happening.
I purchased some bees in Texas last spring and had one testy hive (plenty
workable but
really produced the honey!)
I also agree with Danny Weaver that smoke does not calm the hives with the
most AHB
genetics.
AHB genetics to a minor degree *in my opinion* are widespread in the U.S.
gene pool .
bob
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