Transcript Living with the Africanized Honey Bee Phil Mulder – Extension Entomologist Oklahoma State University.

Living with the Africanized
Honey Bee
Phil Mulder – Extension Entomologist
Oklahoma State University
Contributions from Honey Bees
• Produce about 250 million pounds of honey per
year.
– Value = $200 million.
• Produce about 4 million pounds of Beeswax.
• Produce bee pollen, bee venom, royal jelly, etc.
• Pollinate > 90 cultivated crops.
– Estimated value = $20 billion.
• Contribution from pollination effects every third
bite of food consumed.
History of the Africanized Honey
Bee
• Started as an attempt to improve honey
production in Brazil, Warwick Kerr (1956).
– European strains were not adapting to South
American conditions.
– Captured several colonies in Africa and
selected out 27 highly productive queens.
• When shipping large colonies by rail
(1957), queens were accidentally released
from the excluders.
History of the Africanized Honey
Bee
• African honey bees crossed with
European stock = Hybrid strain known
as the Africanized Honey Bee (AHB).
– Moved slowly in all directions with gentler
stock but retained African traits.
• October 15, 1990 – First natural swarm
captured in the U.S. in Hidalgo, Texas.
– Swarm destroyed out of a baited trap.
History of the Africanized
Honey Bee
• 1993 First report of natural swarms in
Arizona and New Mexico.
• 1994 First report in California.
– Within 1 year, nearly 8,000 square miles colonized
by AHB.
• Today over 100 counties in Texas, 10 in New
Mexico, 14 in Arizona, 1 in Nevada and over
10 counties in California.
• 36 confirmed county captures in Oklahoma.
Living with the Africanized Honey
Bee (Movement)
Africanized Honey Bee in the US
Africanized Honey Bee in Oklahoma
Current Status as of 11/2008
Living with the Africanized Honey Bee
 The Problem in Perspective: Camazine (1988).
- 20 deaths per year from honey bees in the U.S.
- 0.08 deaths per year per 1 million people.
- 80 deaths per year from lightning.
- 0.32 deaths per year per 1 million people.
 No consolation if you loose someone from such an attack.
Living with the Africanized Honey Bee
 The problem (continued)
- LD50 equals 8 - 10 stings per pound of body weight.
- 200 pound person = 1,725 - 2,000 stings.
- Sounds ridiculous!! AHB 6-10X more defensive.
- Approximately ½ - 4% of population is hypersensitive.
Living with the Africanized Honey Bee
 Personal protection ideally with a complete bee suit.
- Formulations of repellents containing Deet as the
active ingredient can also provide protection.
- Also wear gloves and boots with pants of suit taped
inside of boots.
Living with the Africanized Honey Bee
(Differences and Similarities)
Africanized Honey Bee
European Honey Bee
→ Tropically adapted, less winter hardy
→ Adapted to temperate climates
→ Very defensive (6-10 times)
→ Gentle
→ Forage in marginal areas
→ Will not forage in marginal areas
→ More likely to swarm when nectar and
pollen flow are good (6-12 times/yr).
→ Not likely to swarm when conditions
are strong (1swarm/5colonies/yr).
→ Devote ½ time to forage for pollen
(protein source) store less honey.
→ Store more honey. Rarely use > 25 30% of workers for pollen collection
→ Absconding common when threatened → Absconding rare.
→ About 27% smaller than EHB.
→ Slightly larger but can’t tell.
Living with the Africanized Honey Bee
(Differences)
Africanized Honey Bee
European Honey Bee
→ Prefer large nest cavities, but less
→ Prefer larger nest site (40 liters)
discriminating (pots, tires, bird house).
Above ground, clean and dry.
→ Shorter development time (70-71 hrs.).
Hatch 14.5 days (Queen)
→ Longer development time (72-76 hrs).
Hatch 15 days (Queen).
→ Mating flights are slightly later in day.
→ Mating flights earlier and longer.
→ Reaction time about 3 seconds.
→ Reaction time about 19 seconds.
→ Cool-off time about ½ hr. to 1 hr.
→ Cool-off time 2-3 minutes.
→ Pursuit distance about 187 yards.
→ Pursuit distance about 27.5 yards.
Living with the Africanized Honey Bee
Don’t confuse the issue!!
Yellowjacket, European paper wasp, Honey bee, Bumble bee
Sweat Bee
Bald Faced Hornet & Nest
Cuckoo Wasp
Syrphid Fly
Eliminate Colony Sites
Ditch Culvert
Junkyard Debris
Cemetery Pillar - Hollow
Trailer Houses
Bird Houses
Tire piles
Flower Pots and Barrels
House walls with holes
House eaves and gables
Abandoned houses or
outbuildings
Water meters
Tree Holes or depressions
Bee Removal – NOT a One-Man Job!!
Preparation for removal
 Everyone involved should
have a complete bee suit,
including gloves, veil, and
boots.
 Designate each person in
the team a specific job
(smoker, substrate, remover,
etc.)
 Map out an attack plan
before going into the area.
 Tape around gloves, pant
legs and any openings.
Bee Suits
•
•
•
•
Bee suit
Completely
enclosed to
prevent
bees
• from getting
• in.
• Cost $115$140
Gloves
• You can do a “Google” search for bee
suits.
• Bee Gloves $12-$16
Bee Care
Box 1070, Leander, TX 78646
1070
(512) 379-4301
Fax (253) 648-6251
www.beecare.com
Betterbee
8 Meader Road
Greenwich, New York 12834
800-632-3379
www.betterbee.com
Glorybee Foods Inc.
120 N.Seneca
P. O. Box 2744
Eugene, Oregon 97402
800-456-7923
www.glorybee.com
Dadant & Sons, Inc.
1169 Bonham Street
P.O. Box 146
Paris, Tx 75460
877-632-3268
www.dadant.com
Mann Lake Ltd.
501 S. 1st St.
Hackensack, MN 56452-2001
1-800-880-7694
www.mannlakeltd.com
Omega Pest Control
8255 W. Jefferson St.
Peoria, AZ
1-800-550-2990 (orders only
please)
www.omegapestcontrol.com/TheSt
ore.htm
Africanized Honey Bee Control
• You need to look and play the part of a bee control
professional.
• Rubber gloves to go over the bee gloves when
handling the comb or pesticides.
• Any Pesticide label Personal Protective
equipment.
– Respirator
– Dust mask
– Protective glasses
• Duct Tape
• Anti-histamine such as benadryl*
• General construction tools, ladders,
hammers,caulking gun, wrecking bar, saws etc.
Laying Out The land
• Approach every feral bee swarm or colony
as if it is Africanized.
• Park vehicle away from property- 50 yards.
• Speak with home owner to find out about
the colony.
– Swarm or established colony
– How long there.
– Where located, wall, ground, tree, etc.
– When approaching bees always wear
your protective bee equipment.
Laying Out The land
• Notify neighbors.
• Determine if you are going to remove
the colony or just kill it.
• Use buddy system, any time you use a
ladder, work at night, or if the bees are
very defensive.
• Better to live safely than die
recklessly
Tools
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•
•
•
•
•
Proper bee suit
Duct Tape
Saw
Drill
Flashlight
Large heavy duty
plastic bags
• Hammers
•
•
•
•
•
•
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Caulking gun
Pry bar
Stapler
Stud finder
Ladders
Lt. Weight tool bag
1-2 gal sprayer
Dust applicator.
Insecticide Choices and Liability
• Odor of product –some pesticides will incite
the bees to become aggressive. Use low odor
pesticides if possible.
• Residual or Non-Residual – if you cannot kill
the bees at one time use a residual pesticide
• Speed of Knockdown – If treating in the
daytime use quick knockdown pesticides.
• Formulation – Liquids on swarms outside,
dusts and aerosols in walls.
Avoiding Honey Bee Stinging
Problems
 Stay away from honey bee colonies and hives.
 Remove any hives or swarms located in or near yards.
 Check work area carefully before using any heavy or noisy
equipment.
 Do not tie or pen animals near honey bee colonies, no
matter how tame the bees may appear.
Avoiding Honey bee stings
 Foraging honey bees are less defensive,
especially when they are a great distance
from any hive.
Bee Proof Your Property
Inspect the site for signs of
honey bees
 Look for numerous bees passing into or
out of openings.
 Listen for the hum or buzz of active bees.
 Check for activity at all levels of any
structure, particularly along eaves.
If you locate a bee swarm or colony
 Keep everyone away.
 Have it removed immediately – don’t wait
 Contact a licensed pest control operator that has
experience in eliminating high-risk colonies or swarms.
 Contact a beekeeper in low-risk situations (no AHB
reported) so that they can remove the swarm.
 If a colony has set up home in an area that puts the
general public at risk eliminate the hive.
What to do if attacked by AHB
 Run quickly to the nearest shelter (house or car).
 Protect your head, neck and throat areas, with your
shirt if necessary, but be careful running.
 Do not jump into water.
 Do not flail or swat at bees.
Once you have escaped
 Remove stinger carefully using a credit card or real
dull knife (do not squeeze the stinger to remove it).
 Seek medical attention if stung more than 15 times, if
stung repeatedly around face or neck or if you have
a history of problems associated with bee stings.
 Call 911 to report all serious stinging incidents.
Bee Samples
• If you encounter a suspected AHB
colony or swarm in counties other than
the 29 listed on the map:
– Call Garry Phillips 405-205-2699 to get a
sample to send to OSU for DNA testing.
Bee Sampling
• If you want a DNA test of a swarm or colony it
must be frozen and sent over night delivery
• Cost of DNA about $50
• Call Dr. Grantham prior to sending any
samples.
Dr. Richard A. Grantham
Plant Disease & Insect Diagnostic Lab
Entomology and Plant Pathology
Oklahoma State University
127 NRC
Stillwater, OK 74078
EMAIL: [email protected]
TEL: 405-744-9417
FAX: 405-744-6039
Living with Africanized Honey Bees
Phil Mulder – Extension Entomologist
Oklahoma State University