Tim Vaughan's (BEE-L, False Alarm, 15 th June) harrowing experience with dangerously aggressive behaviour suddenly appearing in
managed hive bees situated within range of unsuspecting "innocent bystanders" ( in his case nearby farm workers), reminded me of a
similar experience that I had with a small, 10 hive, queen cell raising apiary that I had located in my metropolitan home block,
some years ago, here in Perth, Western Australia. These were well-bred Italian bees, easy to handle, gentle in nature, and very
productive. They presented no problems whatsoever for some 15 months (one and a half production seasons). Even my next door
neighbour, whose kitchen window was only 6 feet away, was unaware of their presence, due to the vegetation screen. But suddenly
that all changed. On one day, every pedestrian  walking on the footpath some 50 metres away was pursued and chased by aggressive
bees, 2 dogs were also given a very  hard time. My own dog would not even leave the house after her experience! It was impossible
to exit or enter our house without an escort of determined kamikaze bees, and I became public enemy number 1 in our normally
tolerant and forgiving family. Our next door neighbour was also "imprisoned" in her own home. After a day of absolute drama, I
shifted the bees away that night, and thankfully, peace returned to the district, with no aftermath of reported stings, complaints
to the local authorities, litigation or divorce proceedings! However severe aggression persisted in that apiary for some time
afterwards until I had identified and culled the matriarch of the rogue hive. As in Tim's case, she was a beautiful golden queen,
heading a populous hive with exceptional brood pattern etc.She was the queen I had placed in the hive some 20 months previously,
and had not superceded. But lethal to say the least. I learnt 2 valuable lessons from the experience. NEVER "trust" any bees to
behave themselves in an urban environment, no matter how well behaved they have been previously, how well they are located, how
good the foraging conditions are, or how good your management is, and secondly, even the best bred queens will occasionally
spring surprises on you.

     The reason I relay this experience, which no doubt many others will also have endured, is because of the interesting remedy
told me by another very experienced beekeeper, descended from a family of beekeepers going back a long time.When I told him of the
dramas which had unfolded in my neighbourhood that day, he told me how I could have solved the problem of aggressive flying bees
in the vicinity of the apiary. He claimed that a standard 10 litre bucket containing about 4 litres of kerosene standing on the
ground about 3-4 metres from the hives would have attracted all those flying mischief makers to their demise. Apparently, they
don't like the smell, and will attack the bucket, only to drown in the kero. To date I have never needed to apply this remedy, so
can't actually vouch for its effectiveness. But the information may be of value to others who may find themselves in similar
difficult circumstances. I would certainly be interested to know of other peoples experiences. Who knows, it could save lives,
because lives are lost to bee stings, certainly here in Australia, every year.

Peter Detchon
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