>

>    How much money would I be willing to pay to cure an AHB colonization?
> Requeening twice over the course of a season will cost me $20 for 2
> open-mated queens, $80 for 2 AI queens. Not enough to make me give up beekeeping.  I'd like to see a state
> extension or the USDA produce a document explaining how best to requeen an
> AHB colony with a European queen. Or post your experiences here.

I dug out my notes from the Austin,Texas ABF convention class on African
bees by Texas beekeepers which had been living with AHB for awhile.
They said in areas of large numbers of AHB feral colonies the taking
over of colonies by AHB happened on a regular basis. A on going
problem.

Ways to tell if hives had been taken over:

Many of the beekeepers said one way is that European bees light on
landing board and walk in the entrance and AHB flies in the entrance.

Another said he kicks each hive lightly and if the bees boil out the
entrance its a positive sign the hive has been taken over.


Paul Jackson-Texas State Entomologist gave us a card to measure comb to
check cell size for a positive AHB diagnosis but only lab tests are
truely correct. i am looking at the card now and it says 4.9 for AHB and
5.2 for European.

Requeening?
All Texas beekeepers said requeening is almost impossible with a
established AHB colony. Like trying to requeen a laying worker colony.
Many had wasted many queens trying. Most said the best solution was to
divide the colony into three nucs and try to requeen those with a nuc of
European bees. A few said they kill the entire colony and start back
with a European nuc. All said they tried to remove AHB colonies from
apiaries as soon as found.

In Missouri in 1993 we passed a statewide ban on AHB in anticipation of
their arrival. The document is long and developed over a couple years.
The document basically outlaws the keeping of AHB colonies within the
borders of the State of Missouri.The document gives the state bee
inspector the right to dispose of those colonies. The document was
ratified by a overwellming majority of our Missouri State Beekeeper
Assn. and approved by our state people. The debate was long and we
learned a huge amount about AHB from the discussions. The opinion of our
states beekeepers was that we would eliminate AHB from our hives as long
as possible. Perhaps a day would come when as in South Africa our
efforts would be to no avail but until then we would do whatever is
neccessary following the Texas beekeepers example.

> <<...if you are going to be a beekeeper below the "frost line", this is the
> time to plan and learn.>>
In Missouri we thought seven years ago was the time.
>
>    Do we know for certain and conclusively that AHB won't show up here above
> the frost line? Last I heard, that was educated conjecture, supported by a
> smattering of empirical evidence.

AHB has certainly been able to survive in cold climates around the world
from what i have been told. The main problem to their survial in cold
northern winters seem to be their constant swarming making large
populations neccessary to overwinter unlikely. It takes a fair amount of
honey to overwinter in the north and many AHB feral colonys seem not to
store the neccessary winter stores. Also without proper medications
feral colonies are unlikely to survive a cold winter.
ON THE OTHER HAND: AHB established in modern equipment,properly
medicated by a unknowing beekeeper and fed heavily I BELIEVE could
survive quite nicely! At least that was the opinion of the Missouri
State beekeepers after hearing all the evidence.
 I'd certainly like the public up here to
> think that...
In Missouri we plan to educate the general public and focus on the
positve aspects of beekeeping if or when AHB arrives. Not being honest
with the general public or believing they are to dumb to understand
doesn't work in our opinion.

I didn't see any posts to your questions and comments so thought i would
try.
Happy beekeeping!
Bob Harrison U.S.A.