'Killer bees': Texas dogs die after attack from Africanized honey bees, reports say...The dogs reportedly died after getting attacked by Africanized honey bees

FOX News ^ | March 19, 2023 9:44pm EDT | By Greg Wehner

[spankalib]

Hahaha!

[spankalib]

Wow that’s cool...so interesting. There’s a beekeeper group that meets once a month near me...I’ll bring that up. Don’t keep em myself, but am planning to.

[spankalib]

That's a different perspective...but like I mentioned upthread, the aggressive hive was unmanageable, and downright dangerous. I don't see how one could put up with that level of danger just for the sake of minimizing the other natural dangers to honeybees (mites, etc.).

In this news, it is dead dogs. I wouldn't want them anywhere near other people, like kids even...*shudders*.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

So non “africanized” bees never attack and kill?

[Tilted Irish Kilt]

Red Badger :" The Africanized honey bee is also known as the killer bee, which is a cross-breed between the European honey bee and the African honey bee. "

The cross-breeding was accidental, when a queen bee escaped from an apiary in South America.
All bees release a pheromone when the stinger, stuck in the victim, is released and becomes airborne.
The killer bee's pheromone is stronger than domestic bees when torn from the abdomen, but the reaction to the venom is similar to domestic bees.
What differentiates killer bees from domestic bees is the ferocity and number of stings which create a severe reaction to the number of venom stings
which overwhelm the victims immune system.

[spankalib]

So non “africanized” bees never attack and kill?

Point.

The video I watched talked about the genes of the queen producing aggressive bees, and the need to 're-queen' the colony...I do not recall his even mentioning 'africanized' bees...

It is also my understanding that a DNA test is definitive...though I think more experienced beekeepers know 'on sight'. I could be wrong...but there are guys that go around rescuing wild hives, &/or eradicate dangerous swarms...one of them might know, kwim?

[Red Badger]

I would like to see what these bees could do to an Asian Giant ‘Murder’ Hornet.............

[Tilted Irish Kilt]

Red Badger :" I would like to see what these bees could do to an Asian Giant ‘Murder’ Hornet............."

That's a darned good question !
Also, not mentioned before is that domestic bees swarm , and re-queen, only once per season.
The South American 'killer bees' are known to swarm up to five (5 X) times per season, and re-queen with each swarm,
and thus overwhelm the domestic bee populations in a geographic region.
The only thing that limits 'killer bees' is the fact that the Northern states experience freeze temperature (32 degrees and below)
and South Americans bees prefer constant warmer temperatures, which limit their travel and expansion.

[Red Badger]

which limit their travel and expansion.......until it doesn’t................

[Tilted Irish Kilt]

Red Badger :" which limit their travel and expansion.......until it doesn’t................"

Yup !.. True that !
That reminds me about the Dengue viruses which are spread to people through the bite of an infected Aedes species
They said it couldn't travel north of the Mason-Dixon line due to freezing temperatures,
until it was found in Washington and New York City bird baths !

[Red Badger]

I remember ‘Fire Ants weren’t supposed to become a problem because of the cold, freezing temps across the South.

Now we have Fire Ants everywhere.....................

[Western Phil]

So non “africanized” bees never attack and kill?

The number of “defender” regular bees that come out to attack is much less than the more easily riled up Africanized swarms.

[Round Earther]

If you are going to start beekeeping, now is the best time of year. Start with a nuc or maybe two.

[spankalib]

Thank you for your kind advice!