[rhaldridge]

I had a colony in my backyard that was pretty much unworkable. They were stinging family members out in the front yard, and for the last couple of weeks we've been unable to use the backyard at all. We had to pick tomatoes from the garden wearing a veil.

I'm about to leave town for 6 weeks, so I needed to make a decision. I'd made one attempt to requeen this colony, two months back, but they were still ferocious and had grown into a big hive. We have small children in the neighborhood, and I had no place to move the hive, so I finally decided I'd have to kill it.

I wanted to use the dry ice method, so I got 3 pounds, sealed up the bottom vents, and went out to do the deed. I pried off the top cover, and bees boiled out in vast numbers, obscuring my veil and stinging my ankles, even though I was wearing a full suit. I lifted out a frame so I'd have room to put the dry ice in, and the situation got a whole lot worse. Several bees managed to get inside my veil, and stung me pretty good; one hit me right next to my eye. I dropped the ice in, sealed up the hive, and beat a hasty retreat. About 30 bees followed me into the house, which made for a lively time for everyone inside. I was not regarded as a hero.

Well, the CO2 killed some of the bees overnight, but there were still plenty this morning, so I got a clean garden sprayer, mixed up some Dawn dishwashing soap and water, and went out to finish the job. They still did their best to kill me, but I think I'm gradually getting the better of them.

My problem now is that there are a lot of partially filled combs of honey that have some soapy water on them. Can I give these to other hives without hurting the other hives, once the soap has dried? I guess I could rinse them off, too. Most of the honey is uncapped, but I hate to throw it away.

 

[Zbee]

Wow Ray - that sounds scary! I don't know about soapy water and the reuse factor on the honey but Dawn dishwasher liquid is purported biodegradable.

Not to detract from your original post/question, but where did you get those bees?

 

[gone2seed]

I sympathize.I also had to kill my first swarm this spring.First they made me retreat and suit up.Even then this swarm was ferocious.As you described,they came at me by the hundreds and followed me wherever I went.I went into my shop,got the shop and vacuumed those suckers.Nobody needs bees like that in their yard(or anywhere else).

Hmmmmm.You and I are close.It makes me wonder if we are beginning to see some africanized influence in our area.

 

[ncbees]

Wow. Sorry to hear about this hive. I would just get rid of the honey/combs, especially if most of it was not capped. Honey is hygroscopic. Start over. Any thought that these may have been taken over by AHB?

I would love to see a picture of or get one of the workers in the mail so I could check it out.

Peace out

 

[rhaldridge]

This was a hive that superceded more than once last summer, but finally settled down with a new queen in the fall. The bees were originally from Georgia.

My attempt to requeen, when they first started getting hostile, involved eggs from one of my gentle hives, and cutting the queen cells on other frames, after I made the hive queenless. I guess it didn't work.

Local beekeepers tell me that there have been no AHB in the local area, but who knows.

It definitely took the fun out it for me. I hope matters improve now that they're mostly gone.

 

[Annabee]

Really sounds AHB to me, that boiling out in droves and attacking far from the hive.

One way to deal with a hopeless and dangerous case like this, get a VERY large trash bag, and slip that over the top at night, and then put rocks and dirt all around the bottom and just leave it.

Very sad to have to execute them, but it sounds pretty horrible.

 

[Tenbears]

The open honey cannot be used. the dawn has contaminated it. however there is no reason the comb cannot. flood the comb with clean fresh water in sufficient amounts and with ample pressure to flush the Honey/nectar from the cells. allow to dry. you can then reuse them.

For future reference when re-queening a hive that has gotten aggressive after a supercedure use a bred queen from a known breeder of gentle stock. By allowing the bees to rear a queen in the same environment that already produced aggressive queens allows that queen to possibly be bred by the same stock that originally produced the aggressive stock.
In any event, I will wear a black arm band for the next 3 days and wish you well

 

[Scpossum]

Just finished listening to a AZ beekeeper, turned AHB remover now, give a presentation on AHB last night at the local beekeepers meeting. He uses these, I think. http://www.hotshot.com/products-and-solutions/all-products/no-pest-strip.aspx

Also said his three items of choice are a vac, palmolive, and strips.

One strip- no bees. Says it drops them like flies. Sorry to hear about the situation. After listening to him for two hours, it sounds like those were AHB that took over the hive. The different ways they can take over was extremely interesting. They are dominant in every way. Hopefully you never have to go through that again!

 

[odfrank]

A no pest strip will definitely contaminate the combs.

 

[Vance G]

Next time just put a big plastic bag over the whole hive at close of business getting dark and seal it up. They will create there own CO2 and kill themselves by morning. Then you can set the brood combs on another hive for them to clean out the dead brood. I would wash the soapy water off but that sounds like a nightmare!~ Anything capped brood or honey can be rinsed pretty easily. The open cells I just don't know about. Lots and lots of water is my recommendation but they should be reusable.

 

[Colleen O.]

Really sorry to hear that, I imagine it was a hard decision despite the need for it. Hope the other colonies stay gentle.

 

[biggraham610]

Sorry about your luck. That sucks to have to run the gallows for a day I would imagine. Luckily I havent had to cross that bridge and hope I never do. Its bad enough to lose one on its own from natural causes. Good Luck on the rest of your hives, keep your chin up. G

 

[Intheswamp]

rhaldridge, I would think that proper protocol would be to contact your state apiarist and report the bees. They may want a sample to test for AHB genetics. Alabama has trap hives along the Florida/Alabama state line and turning northward going up the Georgia/Alabama state line for probably 75-100 miles. They work them like a trotline hoping to detect the infilatration of AHB. There were confirmed AHB in Bainbridge and Albany, Georgia a few years ago...one colony resulted in a human fatality. Another confirmed AHB was found in Mobile probably 10(?) years ago, it was believed to have come in on a cargo ship. Those are the only reports that I've heard of between the Tri-State area and Mobile. I would imagine the state of Florida would be interested in your bees.

Ed

 

[max2]

Just finished listening to a AZ beekeeper, turned AHB remover now, give a presentation on AHB last night at the local beekeepers meeting. He uses these, I think. http://www.hotshot.com/products-and-solutions/all-products/no-pest-strip.aspx

Also said his three items of choice are a vac, palmolive, and strips.

One strip- no bees. Says it drops them like flies. Sorry to hear about the situation. After listening to him for two hours, it sounds like those were AHB that took over the hive. The different ways they can take over was extremely interesting. They are dominant in every way. Hopefully you never have to go through that again!

What is the active ingredient in those pest strips?

thanks

max

 

[dbarry]

MSDS says it's Dichlorvos. Looks like wicked bad stuff. I wouldn't use it.

Sorry to hear about your bees.