The spread of Africanized bees occurs along the major highways where the bees hitch a ride on trucks. (Not necessarily bee trucks). It is not the migration of the colonies that spreads them rather it is mans activities.
Plus jillions of them get shipped out for almond pollination with out restrictions. This is how they spread, but don't seem to be established outside the climatic boundaries of the sub tropics.
Exactly. I read somewhere that Florida's Ahb came on a ship. True or not, I don't know. Before I began beekeeping this year, I set out lids of honey up to two miles around my location. No bees worked this. If we are over run with Ahb where were they at. I am located in the central part of East Texas, surrounded by forests. The precise type of environment (excluding temperate region) where they would survive.
Will they be more of a problem around south Texas? Most certainly would, drones can fly a long ways.
Let's be logical and realistic about this.
First, I simply can't resolve in my mind how the North can supply the queens and packagages in time to make a crop. Doesn't seem like they have enough time. Do the math. it takes 21 days to raise brood + another 7 days to start foraging. Takes 28 days to raise a queen to laying, and this takes bee resources, go figure. Takes even longer to get sufficient drone population to a breedable state. Unless you are prepared to incubate or provide AI or some other elevated procedures you're outta luck.
Second, the biggest portion of the migratory beekeepers winter in the south, and for very good reason as the winters are harsh in the north.
Third, they go north to make there honey crop as the north has a much shorter growing season. But the good Lord has compensated them for longer days during the summer months. Bees can work longer and gather more honey. During the summer the weather is not as harsh for as long. I have seen over 40 straight days of 100+ temperatures 10+ of those days were 110+, and I am in the central part of East Texas with high humidity.
Fourth, can AHB infect these queens and packages? Yes, and those producers have a responsibility to institute management procedures to be sure that this is kept to a minimum.
Fifth, if a nothern beekeeper (migratory or otherwise), has a colony that appears to be africanized, they have a responsibility to rectify that problem, and not to bring your africanized bees back down south.
Sixth, one of the things that makes commercial beekeeping so successful in this country is the different regions help each other. Go figure, we need each other.