found bee hives..question

[Galapoheros]

I don't know much about bees. Since there has been so much talk about bees in the news, I've been watching for them more. I've found 2 hives just this week. One day it was real quiet here. I was in my hammock and heard a buzz. Many yards away, I finally located the hive over the fence in my neighbor's backyard. A couple of days later I was hiking and heard that buzz again. I followed it and finally found the hive. I have a question. The second hive I saw was really active. It was about 80 degrees. The hive was about 20 feet up in a live oak tree. The hive was in a hole in a branch where a smaller branch used to be but died off a long time ago. There were many flying around and the hive seemed a little nervous acting compared to hives I have seen in the past. Given the same environmental conditions, esp. temp, do African honeybees swarm and fly around the hive more actively than the indigenous honeybees here in the US, when "not" provoked? It might have been my imagination. Even though they were around 20 feet up, I didn't feel comfortable there. Some were flying around me like they were taking a look, but I was pretty far away. I cautiously walked away.

 

[myrmecophile]

Generally the only behaviorally difference you will see is the more aggressive defense of the colony. However given that you are in Texas, I would sat that there are very good odds that you found a colony or two of AHB.