Welcome, Guest

Author Topic: Where can I get Africanized bees?  (Read 2427 times)

Offline BjornBee

  • Galactic Bee
  • ******
  • Posts: 3775
  • Gender: Male
Where can I get Africanized bees?
« on: December 21, 2012, 10:56:33 am »
No not for breeding!  :-D

I want some samples for a project. Anyone know where I could find some samples saved in isopropyl alcohol?

If anyone finds what they know to be AHB colonies, I will pay shipping and handling fees for some saved bees.

Anyone know where to find them? Any place have a depository or other bank of samples?

Any information is appreciated.
www.bjornapiaries.com
www.pennapic.org
Please Support "National Honey Bee Day"
Northern States Queen Breeders Assoc.  www.nsqba.com

Offline RHBee

  • Queen Bee
  • ****
  • Posts: 1095
  • Gender: Male
  • That's my pooch.
Re: Where can I get Africanized bees?
« Reply #1 on: December 21, 2012, 11:51:18 am »
If it were me, I would check the USDA Honeybee Research Lab in Louisiana or some of the Entomology Departments of the universities in states hardest hit like Texas, Florida, Louisiana and Georgia.
Later,
Ray

Offline Bees In Miami

  • House Bee
  • **
  • Posts: 169
  • Gender: Female
Re: Where can I get Africanized bees?
« Reply #2 on: December 21, 2012, 04:12:58 pm »
BjornBee:  I just sent you a message with a couple ideas.  I would think the Florida Beekeepers Association may be able to give you some leads, as well.  Would be curious to know what your experiment is!   Good luck! 

Offline splitrock

  • House Bee
  • **
  • Posts: 301
  • Gender: Male
Re: Where can I get Africanized bees?
« Reply #3 on: December 21, 2012, 09:43:12 pm »
try www.killerbeeguy.com he's got em. sells their honey and stuff, don't know about corpses.

Offline BlueBee

  • Galactic Bee
  • ******
  • Posts: 4587
  • Gender: Male
Re: Where can I get Africanized bees?
« Reply #4 on: December 22, 2012, 05:14:13 am »
Don’t AHB look identical to the EHB?  

How would you know rather or not an unscrupulous beek just put some regular old bees in alcohol and sent them to you?  Hmmm….I do have some dead bees from mini mating nuc #4 that croaked about a week ago and I have some isopropyl alcohol. :-D

Offline lazy shooter

  • House Bee
  • **
  • Posts: 68
Re: Where can I get Africanized bees?
« Reply #5 on: December 23, 2012, 10:13:56 am »
I have no answer to your question, but my bees are only 200 miles or less from Mexico.  One of my hives that went through supercedure some 15 months back has some characteristics of the AHB.  The bees are not overly defensive of you being close to the hive, in fact, I sometimes stand a couple of feet to the side of the hive and watch the bees come and go.  When the inspection starts a little smoke and slow movements seems to keep  them calm.  When you remove the first frame the rev up their engines, and if the inspection continues some two or three frames down the way they come in mass.  These bees will launch two or three hundred bees onto your veil and around your head.  Uniquely, they start crawling on the ground and climb up your boots onto your legs.  If you have an opening in your bee suit, they will find it.  None of my other hives are like this.  Once they attack, they will follow you a hundred yards or more from the apiary.  In their favor, they are good producers and do not require any assistance.  I'm going to wait until next spring and test my toughness against theirs one more time, and then make the decision to change queens or just live with this tough old bleep's progeny.

Offline jpmeir

  • New Bee
  • *
  • Posts: 39
  • Gender: Male
  • Yesterday was the only easy day
Re: Where can I get Africanized bees?
« Reply #6 on: February 07, 2013, 08:58:35 pm »
A bee keeper from the dallas fort worth told me removals of africans are an real experience...they are very aggressive.  However once they are requeen settle down and are strong hives.