I have decided to stop bee nest removal due to the wild (feral) colonies which are filling up with Africanized Hybrid Bees (AHB) which poses a beekeeper and public safety hazard. The last thing I want is for me or other beekeepers to be looked upon as part of the problem and not part of the solution.

I certainly would not want to be collecting a colony from someone’s yard and have the whole situation go bad. Getting the wrong “bees” and having someone stung three blocks down the street or the next door neighbors dog killed will attract the media quickly. Our national sport is not baseball or football it is suing each other. Since I cannot afford at least 3 million in liability insurance, this event would ruin my day (or life) and paint beekeepers with the same brush as wildly unprofessional. I know this scenario will be played out at sometime and I just want to avoid this happening as a result of my efforts to help.

I will leave this job to those who can afford the insurance, have nothing to lose, and the pest control professionals.

Old Man Riggs