Dee,
Have you ever seen a really hot hive of AHB bees? With your method of
beekeeping you can simply come back later. In ours we are forced to deal
with the bees and even transport.

Also from my years of beekeeping in Florida I learned that without feeding
and a floral source ( like your long drought) bees drop down on a very small
brood nest. In my opinion your hives are small populations compared to what
we keep.

Dr. Taylor always kept his AHB in Mexico in small nucs so they were
manageable.

Many people have experience with AHB and you seem to say they have got AHB
all wrong?

 Maybe AHB might work for you but I want no part of an aggressive,
absconding and constant swarming bee . I hire young men to help in summer.
I helped a fellow beekeeper with his insurance  after an employee was stung
to death. The employee lay in a coma for three months. I take aggressive
bees very serious. I keep some yards on friends farms. I would feel bad if
my bees stung their favorite pet to death . Let alone a small child. If I
get a call saying my hives are a problem I drop what I am doing and move
right away. No questions asked!

Risks are associated with bee yards on peoples farms & ranches. Why I insure
each yard for a stinging incident. Also run as a corporation. I have first
hand knowledge of the upset nature of a load of spilled hives.

The most aggressive bees I see are in beekeepers yards which do walk away
splits. Beekeepers which requeen either every year or at two years seem to
have the best all around bees in commercial circles in my opinion because
the queen producer is doing some breeder queen selection. One reason I am
beginning to like the NWC queens better all the time. Same temperament in
all
the hives in a yard.

I respect your beekeeping Dee but see it as very primitive. Kind of like
keeping a bunch of bird houses for birds.

bob



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