>So, it is a good question, but I am referring to the areas officially
designated as 'AHB'.
Hello Allen,
Just having fun with you about the
non-AFB zone. However, I wish I
was in a non-AFB zone due to some
problems I;ve been having in that area,
-management mistake the cause.
No AHB in my area, word has been
known to get back to inspectors when
I post on lists about a hot swarm, or
swarm found in odd containers etc.
All have tested negative.
>Incidentally, Tucson was one of the first AHB areas and during the
initial wave, the town was overrun with swarms.
AHB had the advantage of filling
a void created by the decimation
of EHB from varroa. As EHB develop
resistance, do you think they may
become competitive or dominate
over the AHB?
>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.
Which major crash are you referring too?
The more recent one where Dee was said
to suspect CCD, or the Varroa related
crash of the 90's? Or was there even
an earlier incident which would be 3
crashes?
Major crashes have been occurring for
many hundreds of years, Virgil states
in Georgics, 29 B.C.E "The nymphs,
companions of the unhappy maid,
This punishment upon thy crimes
have laid; And sent a plague among
thy thriving bees." Many of these
are recorded in my H.H.A. site in the file:
'Files > 13) Bee Mortality & Hardship'.
Now, a total revamping of management
practices based on one or two major
crashes is something I would disagree
with. -There are simply too many
variables to consider, and history
shows these are often caused by
environmental factors which are
out of the beekeepers control.
>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
Thanks for the pics!
I've had the honor of talking to
Ed on the phone several times.
He had a great concern for
humanity to bees.
Best wishes
Joe Waggle
http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/HistoricalHoneybeeArticles/
http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/FeralBeeProject/
***********************************************
The BEE-L mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned
LISTSERV(R) list management software. For more information, go to:
http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html
Guidelines for posting to BEE-L can be found at:
http://honeybeeworld.com/bee-l/guidelines.htm
|
