West Texas Bee Traps

[Beaver Dam]

I know that west Texas has Africanized bees. My brother has 900 acres of land just east of Abilene and North of Cisco. I put out 4 traps a couple of weeks ago, There is a huge hive at ground level in a old well that has dried up. The well casing formed of old rocks still stands about 3 1/2 feet tall off ground, with a nice round rock cap with a 24" hole in center. This hive is the size of at least a double deep. I've been watching several feral hives there since the bee bug bit me 2 years ago. My question is this. All hives that I have come in contact with out there, have not made any aggressive attitude to me beeing around them. Would it bee safe to say that these hives are not African descent? My interest in these bees are to use them as natural comb builders and convert my existing hives to the comb these West Texas bees build. What-ch ya think? P.S. going to do some beelining out there too. Sounds like fun, think? I'm, as we say here in Texas " I'm pumped"

[Michael Bush]

>My question is this. All hives that I have come in contact with out there, have not made any aggressive attitude to me beeing around them. Would it bee safe to say that these hives are not African descent?

If they are gentle then it would be safe to say they have so far been gentle.  I've seen plenty of mean EHB.  I've been to AZ and the bees there were nicer than some I've seen.  I think you should worry about temperament, not genetics.  Keep in mind as a hive gets stronger or it's in a dearth it can be grumpier.

> My interest in these bees are to use them as natural comb builders and convert my existing hives to the comb these West Texas bees build. What-ch ya think?

You should always be careful with bees.  Always wear a veil and be prepared for them to be defensive.  It's always irresponsible to keep them if they turn mean.  It's never irresponsible to keep them if they aren't.

If you end up with nice Africanized bees who cares?  If you end up with mean bees, who cares if they European?