Hello All,

Before I begin on what is sure to become a hot topic, I want to thank
everyone for their reply on feeding. AE Stanley Co. only sell HFCS in
tank trucks.  They gave me the name of Cleveland Syrup (216-883-6200) as
a distributor in smaller quantities.  They will ship one pale.  Price
breaks with larger loads.  A pallet of 24 - 5 gal pails is around $380
plus shipping.

I am not on an expert on Africanized bees and if I misquote something
here I sure it will be pointed out.  However, I have spent most of my
career working for a totally mistrusted industry.  I have first had
knowledge dealing with public perception and hysteria.  My job has been
to provide information to users and misusers (aka rock throwers at bees)
of our products and to try and mitigate the situation when something
goes wrong.  It does not matter that you products may be essential to
our way of life, or that most of the players are upstanding companies
that spend millions of dollars to do things right, all it takes is one
rogue outfit to mess up and EVERYONE pays the price.

To the average person every stinging insect is a bee.  Most individuals
are afraid of bees and many think beekeepers are a bit strange if not
altogether crazy.  Tell someone you are a carpenter and they ask what do
you build.  Tell them you are a beekeeper and the first thing they ask
is if you get stung.  They focus on the sting not the honey.  The
negative rather than the positive.

When a negative incident occurs the best plan is to correct the
situation as quickly as possible.  I hate when bees are destroyed,
however I won't tolerate a mean colony regardless of how much honey they
produce.  The bees are justified in defending their home but the
residents in the area also have the same right. The bees were in an
urban area where some feel they do not belong.  If you were to poll the
neighborhood and ask if beekeeping should be allowed in town, I am
willing to bet most individuals living there would answer a loud no. Had
you taken the poll prior to the incident, I believe at least some of the
neighbors would not have mind.

Here is a situation that adversely affected the industry.  The best
course of action was the one that was taken.  The "bad" bees were
destroyed.  If you were to have taken the "save the bees" approach,
albeit for good reasons, you could have left the impression that the
bees are more important than public safety.  That is how laws
prohibiting beekeeping come into play.  Perception is reality.  Let me
say that again. PERCEPTION IS REALITY.  Bees attacked the neighborhood,
therefore bees are bad.  I would prefer the perception that not all bees
are bad and beekeepers, although they are crazy, will work to keep bad
bees away which makes them good.

Bee attacks are rare so when they happen it makes the news.  I will bet
the story ran in a few newspapers and possibly on the nightly news
stating killer bees were attacking. I don't think I remember reading,
earlier this year, a headline that thousands of colonies of bees were
safely taken to California to ensure the almond crop and its industry
flourish.

Bottom line, rogue bees (or beekeepers) can cause the industry much
harm.  We have to appreciate this and do what is necessary for the good
of the whole.  That's the way the bees look at it and they know a lot
more than we do.

Ron Bogansky
Kutztown, (eastern) PA, USA


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