Some bees that tested to be AHB killed a man about 10 miles from my ranch. Last year a hive of bees that attacked some school children in De Leon, TX tested to be AHB. We definitely have some AHB genetics in our area. The one characteristic I have noticed in the few instances of AHB attacks is that they attack without being provoked. The fellow that got lost his life to them was mowing around an outbuilding with a lawn tractor when he was attacked. He was 30 feet from their hive. The school kids that were attacked were walking under a "bee tree" when attacked. The bee hive was 26 feet above ground. It appears that AHB's have a much shorter fuse.
Clint Weaver is at least a fourth generation beekeeper in the Bweaver Apiaries in Navasota, Texas. He emphasizes keeping your smoker well lit at all times. If one bee stings you, slow up and use more smoke. I think he is correct because if one bee stings you the pheromone is in the air. If more and more bees sting you are try to sting you and lose their stingers in your clothing it becomes what we engineers refer to as an "exponential" event and the pheromones increase accordingly. In my opinion, when the bees become too aggressive it is better to pack up and come back another day.
This is based on my limited knowledge and has no basis in fact.
lazy
