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House and Garden Series
F@stSheet Ent-1017
With the arrival of Africanized
honey bees in Texas, it is sometimes important to know if a bee colony contains
Africanized members. Although the Texas AgriLife Extension does not make
site visits for bee control purposes, we can refer you to competent persons
(such as beekeepers, pest control operators or other emergency personnel) for
control. In addition, the Department of Entomology at Texas A&M University
will examine bee samples to determine the probability of Africanization. Currently
there is no charge for this service, and the lab will accept bee samples from
any location in Texas. To ensure accurate identification, samples must include
proper collection information and adequate numbers of bees must be submitted.
Because Africanized honey bees are nearly identical in appearance to domesticated (European) honey bees, identification requires sophisticated equipment and a computer. At least 10 to 20 bees from the colony must be submitted to accurately test whether the colony is Africanized. Individual bees cannot be reliably identified.
HOW TO SEND A SAMPLE:
- Send bees in a leak-proof glass (e.g., mason jar) or plastic jar capable of holding about ½ pint of bees. This volume should be sufficient to accurately identify the bees. Enough alcohol (ethyl or rubbing) should be included in the jar to at least cover the bees.
- Do NOT freeze the sample or allow it to dry out. Either treatment will
cause the specimens to become brittle and difficult to dissect. Fifty or more bees
may be required for identification in such cases.
- To ensure that specimens arrive safely, the jar should be placed in a sturdy box approximately an inch larger than the jar. The jar should have some sort of padding (e.g., newspaper, Styrofoam peanuts) between it and the jar. For added safety, this box can be placed in a second, slightly larger, padded box.
- The entire collection form (see below) should be completed. This information is critical, particularly if the specimens are determined to be Africanized. For samples collected outside of city limits, please indicate the distance and direction to the nearest city or town.
- If the bees in question have stung someone, please include the persons' names, a brief description of how the stinging incident occurred, and what medical care was required (e.g., hospital, etc.). Bee samples involved in stinging incidents will be assigned a higher priority in the identification process.
WHERE TO SEND:
Specimens should be mailed to the:
Texas Honey Bee I.D. Lab, Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University,
College Station, TX 77843-2475. If shipping by UPS, Federal Express, or other
private carrier, add: Riverside Campus, Building 4431-Room 313.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Additional
questions on submitting specimens can be directed to the lab by phone (979-847-8771)
or via E-mail 1-bradley2@tamu.edu
. For further information about honey bee swarms and controlling bees, see Texas
Agricultural Extension Service publication L-1791,
Honey Bees in and Around Homes. General information about Africanized Honey
Bees, including a current distribution map, is available at http://agnews.tamu.edu/bees/ .
Authors:
Michael Merchant, Ph.D., Urban Entomologist, Texas AgriLife Extension Service and Lisa Bradley, Texas Honey Bee Identification Laboratory, Texas A&M
University.
Publication information:
This publication is part of the House & Landscape Pest Series produced by the
Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843-2475. The
most recent update can be found at:
http://dallas.tamu.edu/insects/Ent-1017.html . Series Editor: M. Merchant. For more information about arthropods, check out the Texas A&M Entomology Web site at http://insects.tamu.edu
Last revision: 12/4/02
The information given herein is for educational purposes only. Reference to commercial products or trade names is made with the understanding that no discrimination is intended and no endorsement by the Texas AgriLife Extension Service is implied. Additional, or updated copies of this fact sheet may be obtained by contacting the author(s) at the Texas AgriLife Extension Svc., 17360 Coit Road, Dallas, Texas 75252-6599. Extension programs serve people of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating.
All content and images Copyright © 2000, Texas AgriLife Extension Service, unless otherwise noted. All rights reserved.
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