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Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology

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Subject:
From:
Keith Malone <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Wed, 18 Sep 2002 10:59:05 -0800
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Hi All,

http://www.countyofsb.org/agcomm/AHBNews.html
Here is a quote from the URL directly above;
starting at the 4th paragraph and the 4th sentence it reads as follows;

"Africanized honey bees are less predictable and more defensive than
European honey bees, and are more likely to defend a greater area around
their nest. They respond faster and in greater numbers, although each bee
can sting only once. Although these traits have earned Africanized honey
bees the nickname "killer bees", in the twelve years since their arrival in
the United States via Texas, AHB has only been responsible for about twelve
human deaths, mostly in Texas and Arizona. The average number of deaths per
year caused by the common European Honey bee in the US is around 40."

Interesting is the fact that more deaths are caused by EHB on average per
year than has been caused by AHB since it's arrival into the USA. The first
land-migrating swarm of Africanized bees was detected in the USA on October
15, 1990. That's twelve deaths divided by twelve years and that leaves an
average of one death per year caused by AHB.

Something tells me that AHB's are getting a bad rap and are not as much of a
threat as some people and the media would like them to be.

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