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Monday, March 5, 2012

Will our above-normal temps create more african bee colonies this spring?

     African or (Africanized) honeybee queen bees, on average, lay 1,500 worker bee eggs per day.  This is almost 50% more per day than European honeybee queen bees lay.  In both sub-species, the more hours each day that the temperature is conducive for egg laying, the more eggs are layed.  Late winter and early spring is critical to bee colony build-up.  Provided that there is adequate pollen available, African bee colonies will "urge" there respective queen bees to lay eggs earlier in the morning and later in the evening when temps are warmer.  Conversely, when temps are colder than "normal", the reverse is true.

     Thus far, 2012 has been warmer than normal, largely due the the factors surrounding the La Nina weather pattern.  Consequently, those persons who live in all of southern and central Arizona, and the other southern states where African bees inhabit, must be vigilant when walking around structures and other locations where African Honeybees are likely to occupy.

     As it is now well documented by the various individual states' departments of Agriculture, that essentially, there are no more "feral" European Honeybee colonies in the Southwestern US, it is prudent to assume that any feral bee colony is an African Bee
 Colony.  Therefore, never attempt to treat a bee colony yourself.  Always contact an experienced licensed bee removal company equipped to properly exterminate a bee colony. We expect a busy bee season this year.





















































































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