Horse killed in bee attack...north Alabama

[Intheswamp]

I tought I'd pass this along...

On a different message board an individual has been concerned about a hive of hot bees his neighbor has and was trying to help the owner decide whether to have the hive tested for africanized genetics.  This, I believe is in Marshal County.  Apparently Friday about five miles from the location of the hot hive a horse was killed by a feral colony of bees.  It has yet to be determined if these were africanized bees or not.  In talking with the state apiartist office it was disclosed that AHB genetics have earlier been confirmed in a colony found at the Huntsville International Airport and in two colonies along the southern Alabama stateline.  I'm not sure of the dates and locations of the discovery of the ahb colonies.

Anybody hear about the bee attack on the horse or any of these other instances of AHB in Alabama?

Best wishes,
Ed

[apisbees]

"' It has yet to be determined if these were africanized bees or not." A horse stung to death by bees, this is one of the identifying characteristics of African bees. How much more conformation do they need.

[Jen]

Ooof  :'(  that just makes me shudder. Makes me wonder if the horse stepped on a hive or something ~

[riverbee]

there was a horse in columbia falls, montana, that died of either anaphylaxis or a massive stinging event in 2012. i am unsure if it was determined what type of 'bee' it was, though it was a swarm. might have been feral or perhaps a swarm from a hive.  there are no africanized honey bees in montana. 

Stings of misfortune: Horse succumbs to bee attack

[Intheswamp]

I have a photographer friend of mine in Boston that years ago worked at a riding/boarding stable.  Some riders decided to take a break and tied the horses to an old tree.  The bees inside the tree attacked the horses and the people were unable (or unwilling) to get to the horses to release them.  A cellphone call to the stable sent my friend to rescue the horses.  He got both of them loose, one lived, one didn't.  My friend (not a beekeeper) took quiet a few stings while releasing the horses.  As for as I know, they were not Africanized, simply some very po'd bees and some captive victims.

"' It has yet to be determined if these were africanized bees or not." A horse stung to death by bees, this is one of the identifying characteristics of African bees. How much more conformation do they need.

A lab report?

Ed

[lazy shooter]

A big old horse animal being killed my a wee bee reminds me how fragile life can be.  Until I started keeping bees I did not realize that bees sometimes killed large animals. 

[Bamabww]

I tought I'd pass this along...

On a different message board an individual has been concerned about a hive of hot bees his neighbor has and was trying to help the owner decide whether to have the hive tested for africanized genetics.  This, I believe is in Marshal County. 

Anybody hear about the bee attack on the horse or any of these other instances of AHB in Alabama?

Best wishes,
Ed

Marshal County is just 2 counties east of me. But I haven't heard anything about it on the local news. And a quick search on two of the local stations doesn't turn up anything for the last 30 days.

[Jacobs]

"A sweaty horse is detested by bees, and, when assailed by them, is often killed; as, instead of running away, like most other animals, it will plunge and kick until it falls overpowered."
              L. L. Langstroth,  A Practical Treatise on the Hive and the Honey Bee, 3rd edition (1870)