Killer bees in east tennessee

[W2NAP]

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-205_162-57412992/africanized-bees-found-in-east-tennessee-beekeeper-attacked/

i guess they WILL be in the great lake states (OH,IL,IN) soon

[wa6mhz]

They are already in Kalifornia, so guess they are moving East. Meanwhile, the Brown Recluse spiders move WEST!

[N8YX]

Fire. Kill it with fire.

[KG4CGC]

We broke the bees. Be careful with your pesticide usage. Thank You.

[W2NAP]

pissed off bees are pissed off.

[KG4CGC]

Every year, I see a new hybrid buzzing around. These hybrids don't live long and often don't even reproduce. Which is probably a good thing. I remember back in the day, seeing the honey bees flying over the fields of clover.

[W2NAP]

here we used to see honey bees everywhere back in the day... then the yellowjacket came. mid summer though fall its impossible to be outside in daylight without being harrassed by yellowjackets

[KG4CGC]

Yellow Jerkits get bad in the Fall just before it starts to turn cold here. They are pretty aggressive about their food gathering that time of year, going after human refuse.

[W2NAP]

find the yellowjacket hive, dump a few gallons of gas down the hole run a gas trail back. light watch fireworks

[KG4CGC]

find the yellowjacket hive, dump a few gallons of gas down the hole run a gas trail back. light watch fireworks

Something best done at night after they've gone to bed.

[wa6mhz]

I had the old bat who lives behind me DEMAND I have a behive that formed in the wall of my garage REMOVED! That cost me $400. I didn't put the bees there. Then, a year later, she demanded I have the NEW behive that formed in an old paint can REMOVED!!! $200 for that one!!!! HEY, These aren't my @#@#@#@ BEES!!! And SHE is the one with a yard full of bright flowers!!! And she wonders why there are bees!

[W1GUH]

Very best tool against yellow jackets is just plain hairspray. And ol' can of it will do. One quick spritz with that and those buggers can't fly anymore! Fun to watch 'em try, tho'. Obviously, works on any flying insect.

No nasty poisons to worry about, either for you or the environment. No problem with other species being affected, and no danger from fire or anything else. And it works instantly.

[W1GUH]

I had the old bat who lives behind me DEMAND I have a behive that formed in the wall of my garage REMOVED! That cost me $400. I didn't put the bees there. Then, a year later, she demanded I have the NEW behive that formed in an old paint can REMOVED!!! $200 for that one!!!! HEY, These aren't my @#@#@#@ BEES!!! And SHE is the one with a yard full of bright flowers!!! And she wonders why there are bees!

Who is she that she can legally compel you to do that?

[KG4CGC]

I had the old bat who lives behind me DEMAND I have a behive that formed in the wall of my garage REMOVED! That cost me $400. I didn't put the bees there. Then, a year later, she demanded I have the NEW behive that formed in an old paint can REMOVED!!! $200 for that one!!!! HEY, These aren't my @#@#@#@ BEES!!! And SHE is the one with a yard full of bright flowers!!! And she wonders why there are bees!

Have your lawyer send her a letter.

[NQ6U]

We've had Africanized "killer" bees here for years now. Turns out to be not such a big deal—just stay away from wild hives.

[K7SGJ]

When we get them, we just scare them to death. Sneak up behind them and yell



BOO BEE

[kf0rt]

Very best tool against yellow jackets is just plain hairspray. And ol' can of it will do. One quick spritz with that and those buggers can't fly anymore! Fun to watch 'em try, tho'. Obviously, works on any flying insect.

No nasty poisons to worry about, either for you or the environment. No problem with other species being affected, and no danger from fire or anything else. And it works instantly.

Any petro-based spray will work. WD-40, etc. Dissolves their wings.

[KG4CGC]

Had a huge YJ nest under a RR tie in the front yard at a place in Anderson. Ran over it for years with the lawnmower with nary a problem. One day, the whole hive shot up out of the ground after hitting it with the lawnmower. RAN inside, left the mower running, watched them buzz around it the whole day until dark.
Took the gas can over and filled up the hole with about a gallon of gas and blew that sucker up. Some of the neighbors came by so we made a party out of it.
I pulled up the RR tie and found an extensive array of broodcones reaching back 5 feet into the ground past the RR tie. More Gas!

[W2NAP]

i still like dropping the nuke on the yellowjackets

gallon of gas in the hole and boom

[W2NAP]

Had a huge YJ nest under a RR tie in the front yard at a place in Anderson. Ran over it for years with the lawnmower with nary a problem. One day, the whole hive shot up out of the ground after hitting it with the lawnmower. RAN inside, left the mower running, watched them buzz around it the whole day until dark.
Took the gas can over and filled up the hole with about a gallon of gas and blew that sucker up. Some of the neighbors came by so we made a party out of it.
I pulled up the RR tie and found an extensive array of broodcones reaching back 5 feet into the ground past the RR tie. More Gas!

suprised you got by so long without issues.

[KG4CGC]

suprised you got by so long without issues.

They were biding their time.

[NQ6U]

They were biding their time.

Building up their troops, all the while plotting your demise. Bastids.

[W1GUH]

And those bastids WILL sting you without provocation.

[ki4itv]

When we get them, we just scare them to death. Sneak up behind them and yell



BOO BEE
...and they all go tits up.

[W5GA]

I had the old bat who lives behind me DEMAND I have a behive that formed in the wall of my garage REMOVED! That cost me $400. I didn't put the bees there. Then, a year later, she demanded I have the NEW behive that formed in an old paint can REMOVED!!! $200 for that one!!!! HEY, These aren't my @#@#@#@ BEES!!! And SHE is the one with a yard full of bright flowers!!! And she wonders why there are bees!
You should have donated the hives to her.

[kf0rt]

You should have donated the hives to her.

She probably had hives already.

[n2ize]

Some beekeepers like the "Africanized honey bees" (aka killer bees). I was told that some of them produce copious amounts of honey. But they are a pain to work with and you need to wear a veil and bee suit tied at the bottom because they have a tendency to drop to the ground and crawl up your leg and sting... (OUCH !!). Seriously, I don't know if anyone actually keeps them. I am just going on what I was told.

My Dad used to keep the much more docile and very common Italian honey bees. It was almost impossible to get stung by them. I used to hold frames full of bees wearing just a tee shirt and no veil and never got stung. Only time they would get a little aggressive was during harvest time. I was stung a grand total of twice.

[n2ize]

Very best tool against yellow jackets is just plain hairspray. And ol' can of it will do. One quick spritz with that and those buggers can't fly anymore! Fun to watch 'em try, tho'. Obviously, works on any flying insect.

No nasty poisons to worry about, either for you or the environment. No problem with other species being affected, and no danger from fire or anything else. And it works instantly.

Wrong. This works much better. Get's rid of bees, wasps, hornets, yellow jackets, rats, mice, pesky rodents, etc. etc. etc.

http://archure.net/liberty/NUCNV/Ukclimax1a.jpg

[NQ6U]

Wrong. This works much better. Get's rid of bees, wasps, hornets, yellow jackets, rats, mice, pesky rodents, etc. etc. etc.

http://archure.net/liberty/NUCNV/Ukclimax1a.jpg

But not the cockroaches.

[N8YX]

But not the cockroaches.
If we can just train them to produce honey instead of merely being nasty, we're set. :yes:

[wm3o]

i don't see where the bees in the article were tested and therefore i'm not sure they were in fact Africanized. as a beekeeper i have had several different strains of Apis Mellifera, Russian, Italian, Carniolan, and a few hybrids. until i read that the hive was tested and proved to be Africanized, i think it's more likely this hive was full of Russians who were under distress (not queenright, no room, or infested with large hive beetles).

i had problems with a Russian hive and man were they nasty suckers, but did they produce honey.

[N8YX]

i don't see where the bees in the article were tested and therefore i'm not sure they were in fact Africanized. as a beekeeper i have had several different strains of Apis Mellifera, Russian, Italian, Carniolan, and a few hybrids. until i read that the hive was tested and proved to be Africanized, i think it's more likely this hive was full of Russians who were under distress (not queenright, no room, or infested with large hive beetles).

i had problems with a Russian hive and man were they nasty suckers, but did they produce honey.
How are your hives faring with the bee mite infestation which has plagued area colonies? Used to see many honey bees in the yard and vicinity. Nowadays...not so much.

[wm3o]

How are your hives faring with the bee mite infestation which has plagued area colonies? Used to see many honey bees in the yard and vicinity. Nowadays...not so much.

my bees are fine. i lost a hive to starvation, but mainly they are fine. all pollinators have been seeing declines in populations. bumble bees have made a come back in our area, but yeah, Monsanto is killing us all.

[W2NAP]

http://news.yahoo.com/africanized-bees-found-east-tennessee-150635650.html

"VONORE, Tenn. (AP) — Tennessee agricultural officials say a colony of partially Africanized bees, which are more aggressive than domestic honey bees, have been found in East Tennessee."

so yea. got to say killer bees in tenn. and its really not a good sign. i suspect these buggers will eventually make the way to the great lake states

[N8YX]

Do those bees have valid birth certificates?

[W2NAP]

nope im sure they are illegals. going to have to get border partol to deport them

[NA4BH]

Watch for any movement towards Washington D.C.

[W2NAP]

Watch for any movement towards Washington D.C.

if that happens then it will come out the killer bees was designed for terrorism, and the ones responsible for releasing them in the 1950s will be brough up on terrorism charges

[wm3o]

http://news.yahoo.com/africanized-bees-found-east-tennessee-150635650.html

"VONORE, Tenn. (AP) — Tennessee agricultural officials say a colony of partially Africanized bees, which are more aggressive than domestic honey bees, have been found in East Tennessee."

so yea. got to say killer bees in tenn. and its really not a good sign. i suspect these buggers will eventually make the way to the great lake states

remember when they were supposed to be everywhere by the mid 90's???

http://news.tn.gov/node/8656

i found a source with more detailed information that states the genetic testing was done. this hive was only 17% Africanized, which most likely means the queen mated with an Africanized drone among regular drones and was just getting to the Africanized sperm stock. at 50%, the USDA would classify the hive as Africanized and with that comes a ton of headache for the local beeks. the fact there is a drone out there that is Africanized means there are most likely feral hives out there of Africanized bees.

i wish the beeks in that area all the best, time for them to buy good gloves.

[wm3o]

nope im sure they are illegals. going to have to get border partol to deport them

just like all honey bees - none of them are native to North America, Apis Mellifera come from Eastern Europe.

[NA4BH]

How many hives do you have Steve? My father in law used to do the bee thing, he had all the fancy equipment to extract the honey.

[wm3o]

How many hives do you have Steve? My father in law used to do the bee thing, he had all the fancy equipment to extract the honey.

right now just two - i've lost several over the years and the cost to replace them is getting out of hand. i did get a swarm last week so i'm waiting to see if they will get established. i'm in the local beek assoc. and we have a loaner extractor, but i do mainly cut comb (insert homer drooling image here) and man is that some good sheet.

[W2NAP]

remember when they were supposed to be everywhere by the mid 90's??? http://news.tn.gov/node/8656 i found a source with more detailed information that states the genetic testing was done. this hive was only 17% Africanized, which most likely means the queen mated with an Africanized drone among regular drones and was just getting to the Africanized sperm stock. at 50%, the USDA would classify the hive as Africanized and with that comes a ton of headache for the local beeks. the fact there is a drone out there that is Africanized means there are most likely feral hives out there of Africanized bees. i wish the beeks in that area all the best, time for them to buy good gloves. if they can survive in east tenn. then they can prob survive in central ill,ind,oh and on the other side of the hills. prob pa,md,de,va,nj

[NA4BH]

I hear ya on the good sheet. I don't know why he stopped raising them, he went from bees to flowers. Not the same, LOL.

[wm3o]

I hear ya on the good sheet. I don't know why he stopped raising them, he went from bees to flowers. Not the same, LOL.

beekeeping has gotten very hard in the past 20 years. no more can you setup a hive and leave it, you have to deal with Varroa and the Small Hive Beetle - until very recently that meant using chemicals that were toxic and you couldn't use them during the honey flow. now there is a hops based product for Varroa and a technique that uses a screened bottom board and a pan of mineral oil to take care of the SHB.

i'm always concerned with what the bees are bringing back to the hive in the nectar and pollen, there are some nasty chemicals out there people put on their lawns, flowers, and fruit trees.

[W2NAP]

i'm always concerned with what the bees are bringing back to the hive in the nectar and pollen, there are some nasty chemicals out there people put on their lawns, flowers, and fruit trees.

I honestly think the chemicals are a big part of the CCD over the last few years

[wm3o]

I honestly think the chemicals are a big part of the CCD over the last few years

there is growing evidence to support this - long term exposure in trees has shown a buildup in the nectar and well, the bees eat the nectar.

[W2NAP]

there is growing evidence to support this - long term exposure in trees has shown a buildup in the nectar and well, the bees eat the nectar.

ive suspected it since i started hearing about CCD. ive been really tempted to get into beekeeping the cost is keeping me from it right now

[wm3o]

ive suspected it since i started hearing about CCD. ive been really tempted to get into beekeeping the cost is keeping me from it right now

a 3 pound package is now $85.00. a few years ago they were $40.00. lots of people heard that the bees were in trouble and now there is a huge demand for starter packages. the wooden ware, tools, and safety gear are still reasonable and finding a swarm is about the only way to keep costs down. honey jars aren't cheap!

i had a buddy make my labels for me, he's in the business so that really helped. only cost me 1 pound of honey (the best he ever had). i sell a pound for $10.00 or two for $18.00.

[W2NAP]

a 3 pound package is now $85.00. a few years ago they were $40.00. lots of people heard that the bees were in trouble and now there is a huge demand for starter packages. the wooden ware, tools, and safety gear are still reasonable and finding a swarm is about the only way to keep costs down. honey jars aren't cheap!

i had a buddy make my labels for me, he's in the business so that really helped. only cost me 1 pound of honey (the best he ever had). i sell a pound for $10.00 or two for $18.00.

nothings cheap anymore. for me money is just way to tight I would have done it years ago had I not been moving around all over just for work

[wm3o]

nothings cheap anymore. for me money is just way to tight I would have done it years ago had I not been moving around all over just for work

the problem is everything has become more expensive but cheaper - as in cheap plastic designed to fail and require replacement. gone are the days of self servicing and durable goods. a case in point, my grandfather bought a watering can for his garden in the 1950's, i still have it. it has outlasted 3-4 metal cans and a dozen plastic ones. the steel is thicker, the galvanizing is thick, and it just works. it has been left out in the snow, rain, hot sun, and still it just works.

it probably cost him a $1.00

[W2NAP]

the problem is everything has become more expensive but cheaper - as in cheap plastic designed to fail and require replacement. gone are the days of self servicing and durable goods. a case in point, my grandfather bought a watering can for his garden in the 1950's, i still have it. it has outlasted 3-4 metal cans and a dozen plastic ones. the steel is thicker, the galvanizing is thick, and it just works. it has been left out in the snow, rain, hot sun, and still it just works.

it probably cost him a $1.00

you dont have to tell me brother, for the most part Ill take the old stuff over new stuff anyday.

[wm3o]

you dont have to tell me brother, for the most part Ill take the old stuff over new stuff anyday.

the older the scotch, the better ;)

[W2NAP]

dont know about scotch (dont drink) but i do know the older made stuff have alot more quality behind it.

[N7YA]

the older the scotch, the better ;)


Heres a good islander in the making right here. :agree:

[n2ize]

My father kept bees until around 1990. Being on a small property he only had 2 hives. but they produced copious amounts of honey. We still have jars of perfectly good honey that have yet to be opened. Around 1991 we had a huge large ash tree that died cut down. We had to relocate the hives and the tree man didn't take all the wood. They yard was a mess and by the time we had everything cleared and were ready to put things back to normal we found the hives were dead and the bees gone. For whatever reason my dad never resurrected the hives and hasn't kept bees since. Too bad. It was fun. I have fond memories of the bee smoker, the centrifugal honey extractor, the supers, the frames, all fun stuff.

Over the years I have come across bee keepers in some one the least expected places. I learned bee keeping is not just a rural man's venture. I have found bee keepers in the Bronx, Brooklyn, and even in Manhattan of all places. Hard to envision keeping bees in Manhattan but I've seen it with my own eyes. Healthy hives too with plenty of honey. Bee's are quite adaptable and quite amazing.

[n2ize]

the problem is everything has become more expensive but cheaper - as in cheap plastic designed to fail and require replacement. gone are the days of self servicing and durable goods. a case in point, my grandfather bought a watering can for his garden in the 1950's, i still have it. it has outlasted 3-4 metal cans and a dozen plastic ones. the steel is thicker, the galvanizing is thick, and it just works. it has been left out in the snow, rain, hot sun, and still it just works.

it probably cost him a $1.00

yes, stuff was made to last. I have an electric fan next to my desk that dates back to the 1920's. Still runs great. All, iron, brass, and solid machine screws and an autotransformer for speed control. And I have another one dating back to the 1950's. Not as solid as the one from the 20's but still all metal, runs great and quiet as heck.

Some stuff was made better back then. Other things however have improved. face it, modern electronics blows away anything we had in the past.

[N7YA]

We had africanized bees here in the southwest starting about 20 years ago...now i dont see any bees at all. When they first arrived here, they were quite a menace. Numerous pets and a few old people were killed by attacks, mostly they just scared the bejeezus out of folks when they would mass up on a tree or the side of a house. I remember when they first got here and there would be clouds of bees flying around, attacking cars...thats a fact. But then they just sort of went away. We still see some groupings from time to time, they are much smaller than in previous years though. Spring usually means bees, but i havent seen any yet.


By the way, the thread title is very musical. Repeat it several times to yourself and see if it doesnt turn into a tune and gets stuck in your head for a few hours...maybe its just me.

[n2ize]

We had africanized bees here in the southwest starting about 20 years ago...now i dont see any bees at all. When they first arrived here, they were quite a menace. Numerous pets and a few old people were killed by attacks, mostly they just scared the bejeezus out of folks when they would mass up on a tree or the side of a house. I remember when they first got here and there would be clouds of bees flying around, attacking cars...thats a fact. But then they just sort of went away. We still see some groupings from time to time, they are much smaller than in previous years though. Spring usually means bees, but i havent seen any yet.


By the way, the thread title is very musical. Repeat it several times to yourself and see if it doesnt turn into a tune and gets stuck in your head for a few hours...maybe its just me.

Mostly when you see bees swarm they tend not to be aggressive. It;s just the sheer numbers that terrify people more than anything else.

Now, if you see a bunch of these heading your way take cover fast !!

http://www.wild-facts.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/718px-Vespa_mandarinia.jpg

[N7YA]

Well, these swarms were attacking anything with dark patches...that seems to piss them off. But i believe they have been strained out lately so they are not as aggressive...not as big either. But 20 years ago, the ones here in the desert were definately to be respected and feared.

[W2NAP]

giant asian hornets.

ive seen a few dead ones on the side of the roads here last year

[n2ize]

giant asian hornets.

ive seen a few dead ones on the side of the roads here last year

A few Asian hornets can anihilate an entire hive of bees in a matter of minutes. The sting can be fatal to humans and, even if not fatal is extremely painful. In addition to the venom is injects a chemical to make the sting more painful along with another chemical that attracts more Asian hornets to the scene.

I am pretty sure I saw one last summer. It was huge. It wasn't a Cicada killer and I am pretty darned sure it wasn't a European hornet. The verdict is not clear among entomologists as to whether or not it is in the USA. However, there are growing number of reports of people who claim to see it.

[W2NAP]

A few Asian hornets can anihilate an entire hive of bees in a matter of minutes. The sting can be fatal and, even if not fatal is extremely painful. In addition to the venom is injects a chemical to make the sting more painful along with another chemical that attracts more Asian hornets to the scene.

I am pretty sure I saw one last summer. It was huge. It wasn't a Cicada killer and I am pretty darned sure it wasn't a European hornet. The verdict is not clear among entomologists as to whether or not it is in the USA. However, there are growing number of reports of people who claim to see it.

oh its here im sure of it. came in via a boat. seems from what i read people seeing them are within about 300 miles from ports

[K7SGJ]

oh its here im sure of it. came in via a boat. seems from what i read people seeing them are within about 300 miles from ports

Yeah, and they were rowing the boat they came over in. too. The bastids

[W2NAP]

oh these giant hornets are some bad news. if they was to get a real good foothold in beekeepers could be in for some serious problems

[n2ize]

oh these giant hornets are some bad news. if they was to get a real good foothold in beekeepers could be in for some serious problems

I was speaking with an entomologist who claims that the Giant Asian Hornet (vespa mandarina) is not in North America and, even if it were to be carried here accidentally they won;t survive the North American winters. ... although I wouldn't bet on it if all our future winters are like this past one. However, he said that there may be a similar hornet, close to the same size and very close in appearance but much less aggressive that people are seeing. Who knows for sure ?

[VK3ZL]

Interesting about "Yellow Jackets"...I wonder if they are the same as European Wasps which first appeared in Tasmania in 1959 and eventually found their way to the mainland...They have gradually spread all along Eastern and SE Australia....They are now common everywhere....They make huge paper nests in the ground and hollows and like to be not too far from water...They are super aggressive and many people and pets have been severely injured when attacked by individual wasps and swarms...We have them here around the garden...They like warm weather ...They apparently are attracted to anything sweet like soda drink, BBQ's and you often see swarms of them around the front of stationary cars feeding on insect carcases such as grasshoppers etc...

For some reason the buggers are attracted to me and I often have to get a spray can to zap them...Pretty correct about hair spray or anything like that...They seem to be very fragile and one zap knocks them down...I like to test my "dead eye Dick" accuracy when I have a few get into my workshop...Nearly every time, Bob 1, wasp 0...I have kept a couple of hives of bees for years and havn't found the wasps a problem with them...My bees are downright mean but know me and generally leave me alone...

I added a couple of pics of the European Wasp and wonder if it is similar to your Yellow Jacket...EU wasps reach about 2.5cm in length and can bite continuously..

Bob..VK3ZL..

[NQ6U]

I added a couple of pics of the European Wasp and wonder if it is similar to your Yellow Jacket...EU wasps reach about 2.5cm in length and can bite continuously..

Bob..VK3ZL..

Yes, those look very similar to what I think of as Yellow Jackets and your description also fits. Nasty little bastids.

[W2NAP]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yellowjacket

the yellowjacket looks similar to the euro hornet but alot smaller 12mm or 1/2in

very agressive

[N7YA]

They do not make good house pets.

[NA4BH]

I just killed one of those bastids.

[n2ize]

Interesting about "Yellow Jackets"...I wonder if they are the same as European Wasps which first appeared in Tasmania in 1959 and eventually found their way to the mainland...They have gradually spread all along Eastern and SE Australia....They are now common everywhere....They make huge paper nests in the ground and hollows and like to be not too far from water...They are super aggressive and many people and pets have been severely injured when attacked by individual wasps and swarms...We have them here around the garden...They like warm weather ...They apparently are attracted to anything sweet like soda drink, BBQ's and you often see swarms of them around the front of stationary cars feeding on insect carcases such as grasshoppers etc...

For some reason the buggers are attracted to me and I often have to get a spray can to zap them...Pretty correct about hair spray or anything like that...They seem to be very fragile and one zap knocks them down...I like to test my "dead eye Dick" accuracy when I have a few get into my workshop...Nearly every time, Bob 1, wasp 0...I have kept a couple of hives of bees for years and havn't found the wasps a problem with them...My bees are downright mean but know me and generally leave me alone...

I added a couple of pics of the European Wasp and wonder if it is similar to your Yellow Jacket...EU wasps reach about 2.5cm in length and can bite continuously..

Bob..VK3ZL..

Our yellow jackets are a bit smaller than that. More like 1.5 - 2.0cm. They are more along the size of a typical honeybee. Much smaller than European or Asian hornets. And like most wasps and hornets the damned yellow jackets can, and often do, give multiple stings. Unlike bee's, hornets, and wasps the damned yellow jackets are as pesty as horse flies. They go after any food, sweet beverages, etc. They are frequent and persistent pests at outdoor picnics, barbecues, etc. Darned annoying buggers