Admin nuggethunting Posted August 12, 2012 Admin Report Share Posted August 12, 2012 Hello All,Today out exploring with a partner, we stumbled onto an old, abandoned house. As we got close to the old house, we both heard a noise we both were very familiar with.... Buzzing Bees! No telling how many bees are covering this hive of honey and wax, but I'm guessing several hundred at least. We couldn't get close enough to tell if the hive was up in the attic also.Know your surroundings!Rob Allison Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldies1955 Posted August 12, 2012 Report Share Posted August 12, 2012 Hello All,Today out exploring with a partner, we stumbled onto an old, abandoned house. As we got close to the old house, we both heard a noise we both were very familiar with.... Buzzing Bees! No telling how many bees are covering this hive of honey and wax, but I'm guessing several hundred at least. We couldn't get close enough to tell if the hive was up in the attic also.Know your surroundings!Rob AllisonHey Rob: Nice looking hive! Back in the day Dad would have cut it out and resituated them in one of his boxes.Course with me helping. That wildflower honey is soooooooo good. Your safe if they are European honey bees. The dern Africanized strain aint too frendly.Best to just leave them all alone now. Glad you got out and did some detecting in spite of the heat.........Tom H. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AZNuggetBob Posted August 12, 2012 Report Share Posted August 12, 2012 Awesome looking hive Rob. I ran into one out in the hills. it was up in a crack in the cliff but Inever got close enough to check what nationality they were. Tom weren't those so called killer bee'swe have around here in Az. bred in south america? or is that just a rumor.Take care out there, AzNuggetBob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boulder dash Posted August 12, 2012 Report Share Posted August 12, 2012 Wonder what they pay in rent? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldies1955 Posted August 12, 2012 Report Share Posted August 12, 2012 Awesome looking hive Rob. I ran into one out in the hills. it was up in a crack in the cliff but Inever got close enough to check what nationality they were. Tom weren't those so called killer bee'swe have around here in Az. bred in south america? or is that just a rumor.Take care out there, AzNuggetBobBob: I think so, I remember when they were migrating up from there. Thats why dad got out of the bee business....he didnt want lawsuits from a random swarm attacking someone and then blaming his honey bees for it.Tom H. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Tom Posted August 12, 2012 Report Share Posted August 12, 2012 Bob, Some goofey scientist were studying bees in Aferica trying to get European bees to produce more honey by breeding them with African bees. They brought them over to South America to better facilitate their program. The bees promptly excaped and spread northward. They are now in Arizona and whenever they mate with the domestic bee here the dominate gene takes over and all is Africanized. If they had kept their study in Aferica we wouldn't have this problem. I gave it up a couple years ago due to complaints and lawsutes even though my hives were clean. It just wasn't worth it. Old tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AZNuggetBob Posted August 12, 2012 Report Share Posted August 12, 2012 Tom H. Old TomThat's what I've heard. I have a lot of respect for them. I stay wa-------y clear of all of them. AzNuggetBob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Tom Posted August 12, 2012 Report Share Posted August 12, 2012 I can't figure them sometimes, Bob. Young Tom and I were working in a wash that we found some real good gold in the past and we were vacuuming and drywashing. We got bumped a few times and thought nothing about it at the time. There was some water out for panning and when we came back to the car rhere were hundreds of bees around it. We looked around and followed their flight path and lo and behold there was a colony in the rocks just above where we were making all that noise. We did our days work and never did get stung. I left a little pepsi in a shallow rock for them as a gratitude. Old Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AZNuggetBob Posted August 12, 2012 Report Share Posted August 12, 2012 Old TomI've had several run ins with hives in the past. I'm no expert but I've always taken the run ins by a few bees as threats to move on?Not true?One time I was hunting an old ghost town down south of Tucson. all of a sudden I hear what sounds like a squadron of b-52 bombers in the distance. I could not tell what direction it was coming from so I took off my headphones looked up and spotted a (black cloud) maybe 25 yards wide and a hundred yards long. a hive coming strait in my direction about fifty feet off the ground. I dove into a wide open coyote hole and watched them fly over. apparently they weren't after me because they had me with no were to go. I was about a mile from my truck. Everyone was getting spooked on them down south because of all the reported attacks. AzNuggetBob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AZNuggetBob Posted August 12, 2012 Report Share Posted August 12, 2012 Old TomI don't want to put you on the spot. I'll understand if you don't want to answer the question. AzNuggetBob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Tom Posted August 12, 2012 Report Share Posted August 12, 2012 Bob, I can't speak much for the Africanized ones but the docile domestic ones won't attack when they are swarming. I used to stand in their swarms in a tee shirt and get bumped all over but never stung. These critters today are so defensive that I think that they might attack while swarming. There is a colony in the root of an old Mulberry tree next door to me. It's been there for years and have swarmed before and I got in one just to see what would happen and I did get stung once, but that's all. Everything is Afericanized around here these days and should be handled with care. Best avoid them if you don't know what you are doing, like anything else. Even the honeygrowers are starting to go all Afericanized, it's cheaper than requeening every year. A plus is that they do produce more honey. Old Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Tom Posted August 12, 2012 Report Share Posted August 12, 2012 I just got your post and question, Bob. Yes, bumping is a sign from them to move on. They after all have to give up their life to sting so they warn at first. The Afericanized bee is so defensive after so many centurys in a enviorment that is hostile to them and not being cultivated they have developed this attitude. In time it is possable that it could be brought under control but not in my lifetime. Old Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AZNuggetBob Posted August 12, 2012 Report Share Posted August 12, 2012 Old TomThat's what I meant. I just wasn't sure what to call it, Bumping or bouncing off of you without stinging. AzNuggetBob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
highbanker58 Posted August 13, 2012 Report Share Posted August 13, 2012 I put this question out on another forum,"What could I do in Arizona if attacked a mile from my quad by a swarm of Africanized bees ?" Since ALL bees in Arizona are considered Africanized the general opinion was I was in deep trouble. The bee professionals say the only defense is to get inside something, a house or truck etc. If you jump into water they will wait for you to surface, and never swat or kill one, that will automatically bring the whole hive. A bee net would offer some help but any exposed skin would get hundreds of stings. So I will always go the other direction if I get bumped again, Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AZNuggetBob Posted August 13, 2012 Report Share Posted August 13, 2012 highbanker58Here is a photo of a camo pull over two piece bug netting I sometimes wear for the no seeums. now you could carry it wadded up in a small pocket or pouch. it is hot to wear in the summer. the netting is fine and has a zipper opening for your mouth so you can drink,smoke whatever., I have my doubts about trying to put it on while being attacked? but if you were concerned about an area ahead of time and put it on it would probably help a lot if attacked by bees. I don't remember where I purchased it but its made by Northwest Territory. AzNuggetBob Oh btw I'm wearing a t-shirt and levi's underneath it and the hat is just on top. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldies1955 Posted August 13, 2012 Report Share Posted August 13, 2012 highbanker58Here is a photo of a camo pull over two piece bug netting I sometimes wear for the no seeums. now you could carry it wadded up in a small pocket or pouch. it is hot to wear in the summer. the netting is fine and has a zipper opening for your mouth so you can drink,smoke whatever., I have my doubts about trying to put it on while being attacked? but if you were concerned about an area ahead of time and put it on it would probably help a lot if attacked by bees. I don't remember where I purchased it but its made by Northwest Territory. AzNuggetBob Oh btw I'm wearing a t-shirt and levi's underneath it and the hat is just on top.Holy Cow Bob:Looks like your in afganastan searching for IEDs! I guess growing up with bees kind of numbed me to being skeered of them. They dont really bother me.Like Dad said in a previous post...we had all kinds of bees sucking up our panning water one day.I kind of skimmed them off the tub and panned my cons from the drywasher. They didnt bother me. Guess the best defense is just be aware of them and if they are in your way just move away from them.P.S............bees hate dark colors...white is the best color if your going to be around them....and dont stink...either sweat or aftershave.The hive was just up to the left rear of the truck in the pic.Man, that was a really good day out.....got a good bit of gold in that area.Tom H. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AZNuggetBob Posted August 13, 2012 Report Share Posted August 13, 2012 Tom H. Ive been in some areas were the no se-ums were brutal. They feed on bug repellent. they will find orifices you forgot you had. headphones dont keep them out just keeps them in. the only thing that keeps them out of your face is chain smokin. I'm just kiddin ya, that area your at in the photo looks great., lots of bedrock. AzNuggetBob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beepinpete_WA Posted August 13, 2012 Report Share Posted August 13, 2012 Hey Bob, what are no seeums mate, midges ??Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AZNuggetBob Posted August 13, 2012 Report Share Posted August 13, 2012 Pete Im not sure but I think they are similar to midges. there are about three varieties, two black and one orange or red. they bite, they are obnoxious. up you nose in your ears, eyes, mouth. they are simular to gnats.They just make it hard to concentrate when your trying to hunt. they seem to come out or hatch after a rain or monsoon. some areas are real bad with them in the summer. the little black ones fit thru a mosquito netting. they are very tiny. as a matter of fact I have one buzing around my head right now. :D AzNuggetBob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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