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Africanized bees in Wisconsin?

20K views 28 replies 25 participants last post by  DButterfly 
#1 ·
I heard a new one today..... I live in Wisconsin and met someone also from Wisconsin who keeps bees. I will admit I haven’t been doing this long, but I have read almost everything I could find and this is hard for me to believe. This person I met, said he is raising and breeding afticanized bees, along with other bees from Australia and other areas, here in Wisconsin and has been for years. He said he has a license from the FDA to raise and breed them here with other breeds so they will be able to withstand the winters. I asked him if he was worried about them getting too hot, and he said, “no, I can move them into the shade.” :scratch:: When I explained I meant “hot “ as in mean and aggressive, he said he doesn’t care. He will just wear a bee suit then. Maybe I am ignorant and believe it when I read that africanized bees can’t live this far north cause they will never make it through the winter. Personally, I think this guy is either throwing me a bone to see if I am gullible enough to believe him, or maybe he is off his rocker. Either way.... what do you all think?

Mike
 
#2 ·
what do you all think?

I attended a Calif. Bee Convention in San Diego many years ago, 1972 or 1973, and I can remember the key note speaker saying that the Afican strain of bee is phototropic and will fly when there is sunshine.
Whereas the Euopean strains are thermotropic and will fly at say 55 degrees F.
Regards,
Ernie
 
#5 ·
He told me that he brings them in from Africa, and other places. I asked if he was having problems getting bees from Australia and he said something about not being about to get them thru Europe, but he could get them from Australia. :scratch: Again... he may be a few sandwiches short of a picnic.
 
#10 ·
He claimed to be licensed by the FDA for africanized bees.

The more I think about what he told me the more I think he was ignorant but wanted to sound like he was a big time bee keeper. While talking to him, when he said africanized bees, I asked "africanized bees?" and he said "yes, they also call them killer bees" That doesn't sound like something a breeder would say.
 
#11 ·
Um, he is having trouble ordering AHB from Europe but can order AHB from Australia, and has a "license from the FDA" to breed bees? I would think someone selectively breeding with AHB for cold-tolerance would recognize a term like "hot" bees. And why in the world wouldn't a breeder be trying instead to breed EHB to have AHB's disease-resistant traits instead of breeding the world's least favorite bee simply to be able to spread more aggressively? Granted WI winters aren't anything like they were when I was growing up, but I think this cat has spent a couple too many days in the poorly-ventilated ice shanty with Sterno heat, popping some whippets and sipping grandma's brandy slush :).
 
#17 ·
Whole story smacks of a tall tale.

Africanized bees don't "get hot." They are hot. Right from the start.

The FDA versus USDA confusion is another clue.

And, from what I've read and know about Africanized honey bees, swarming is a bigger issue to breeding than over winter survival. AHB tend to swarm early and often, which is not a trait that might make them seem desirable for beekeepers.
 
#22 ·
AHB Swarm???

AHB's don't swarm much :lpf:

I had 1 hive in October and 6 in May without buying any. And I know that 2 swarms got away from me, maybe more.

They were a gift from an old commercial beek.


That was in the Rio Grande Valley 5 miles from Hidalgo, Tx.
 
#26 ·
Re: check the shoes

I'm sorry to regurgitate this thread after so long, but I have a Question/concern: I sure HOPE some of you guys will lend an ear, and shoot your thoughts...

I was hoping to buy a NUC, and START beekeeping, so I asked a few questions of the person in charge of the NUC sales at our local Beekeeper Assn Meeting... Apparently, the hives, are transient, they base out of NY, but go to Cal for Almonds, then move around til they get to Florida for Orange.. then a respite in NY before being shipped to South Carolina for breeding.. So A, it is definitely a southern Drone, and 2, I question the Queen's genetics, especially knowing that they have traveled through so many Africanized states, and who knows if the Queen was superseded in any of those areas... 3 with being so transient, I worry that no matter the answers to 1 and 2, the Queen nor the hive are ready for a full on NorEaster... All thoughts appreciated... THANKS
 
#27 ·
Re: check the shoes

Unless your supplyer has a reputation for the conserns mentiond. Dond over think it and ware your bee jacket while learning. In the event you are un happy with them you can requeen,,, on rhe orher hand often commercial operations offer bees that build well while thay may may not be suted for everything quick growing is a good place to start
 
#29 ·
Re: check the shoes

Unless your supplyer has a reputation for the conserns mentiond. Dond over think it and ware your bee jacket while learning. In the event you are un happy with them you can requeen,,, on rhe orher hand often commercial operations offer bees that build well while thay may may not be suted for everything quick growing is a good place to start
Thanks BirdDog, I ended up getting from a Swarm Chaser, N PA, all local girls, then last month, caught my 1st swarm, now worried about getting them thru winter :)
 
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