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Bees stormed two teens and a dog in Fort Lauderdale, but it's unclear whether they are the feared, aggressive Africanized variety. FT LAUDERDALE, FL --- A swarm of bees attacked two teenagers and a dog Tuesday afternoon, shutting down part of Dixie Highway in Fort Lauderdale and prompting fears that aggressive Africanized bees might have arrived in Broward. The bees attacked Tuesday afternoon while Nicole Sinder, 18, and her boyfriend, Charles Graham, were bathing Sinder's red husky, Sasha. Sinder and Graham, also 18, had accidentally spilled some tiki torch fuel on the dog and were bathing her in the backyard of the home, at 1519 N. Dixie Hwy. Sinder and Graham had tethered Sasha and started hosing the dog down, when dozens of bees swarmed around their heads, Sinder said. ''I'm really scared of bees,'' Sinder said. ``I started swatting my hand around and all of a sudden, like 20 came at me.'' She ran into the house and jumped in the shower, fully clothed, to get the bees out of her hair and off her clothes. But she could still hear Sasha tied outside, whining in terror as hundreds of bees attacked. ''I was really scared, but I heard my dog, and I saw her through the window, and I had to let her loose,'' Sinder said. So she grabbed a knife from the kitchen, threw a robe over her head to protect herself from stings, and ran outside to hack Sasha free from the rope. Once free, the frightened dog ran inside the house and jumped on Sinder's bed, hyperventilating. They put Sasha in the garage and called 911. FOAMY SOLUTION A few minutes later, firefighters showed up -- and were immediately attacked by the bees. About 15 firefighters zipped up in protective gear and went on the counterattack with the same foam they use to douse chemical fires, said Fort Lauderdale Fire-Rescue spokesman Stephen McInerny. Firefighters sprayed a thick blanket of foam on both Sasha and the hive, killing the bees within 60 seconds. ''This is our first incident with bees,'' McInerny said. ``It's nothing to fool with.'' Sasha -- who has one blue eye and one brown eye -- has dozens of stings, but appears to be fine, Sinder said. The dog was treated with oxygen by the firefighters and treated at a local animal hospital. No one else was seriously injured. The bees had produced about 50 pounds of honeycombs in a large tree stump the family had turned into a bench, McInerny said. A sample of the dead bees will now go to the University of Florida's extension lab for analysis, McInerny said. Because the Africanized variety look identical to the European honeybees common in Florida, only an expert can tell the difference. But there are signs that the bees are not the Africanized variety. Typically, Africanized bees nest in the ground, said Rob Schindler, a technician with Critter Control. European honeybees avoid building hives in the ground, said Schindler, who had dropped by the Sinders' home to see if he and a co-worker could offer help. A dog was killed by bees in Miami Gardens in September 2005, and the aggressive strain killed a goat and a sheep in Palm Beach County in April. Local rescue crews are being trained in handling such attacks in preparation for the eventual migration of the more aggressive Africanized bees, McInerny said. Fort Lauderdale firefighters just completed a course in how to handle swarms of bees. FEW CALLS Firefighters rarely get calls about bee attacks, McInerny said. But it's a common call at Critter Control. In the summer, the firm gets 15 to 20 calls a week, Schindler said. In the winter, that number declines to two or three. Just down the street, Critter Control technicians recently removed a hive twice the size of the one in the Sinders' backyard, Schindler said. Sinder, a student at the University of Central Florida, said they had recently noticed more bees in the backyard, but hadn't thought they were a serious problem. ''We really didn't know where they were coming from,'' Sinder said. ``We didn't even notice.'' (Erika Bolstad, The Miami Herald, 12/27/06.)
FORT LAUDERDALE, FL. -- Three people and two dogs were injured by a swarm of bees in the back yard of their home Tuesday afternoon, police said. Nicole Sinder said the bees attacked her, her boyfriend and her dogs as she was bathing the animals in the back yard. "They just appeared in the back yard and when we looked out there were thousands of them all over the place," said Charles Graham. Sinder said the bees also got inside her home. "They were coming in under the door," she said. "It was terrifying. I jumped in the shower and I started washing my hair out. They stung me on the hand while I was washing." Lt. Rick Pardo with the Fort Lauderdale Fire Department was one of first firefighters to arrive. The bees stung him too. "We put on full gear and went back inside and found the dogs that were being stung," Pardo said. "The one big dog had at least 100 stings." Sasha, a Siberian husky, spent about two hours at veterinarian's office Tuesday night because of the bee stings. "We treated the dog on the scene and gave him a shot of Benadryl," fire rescue spokesman Stephen McInerny said. "We had the owner rush the dog to an animal hospital." Firefighters sprayed foam on the bees to kill the insects. Investigators found a huge beehive inside a hollowed out tree stump. Sinder said she thinks she may have agitated the hive while she bathed Sasha in the back yard. "I'm just lucky
that nothing really bad happened," Sinder said. (WTVJ-TV 6 News,
12/27/06.)
PHOENIX, AZ --- Kathi Hull was out of town when she got the most dreaded phone call. Bees attacked her two dogs, one was dead, the other fighting for her life. "(Our dogs) were like our children," Hull said. "We don't have children. They were like our kids." Hull's Phoenix home near Camelback Road and 34th Street is quite empty these days without her beloved schnauzers. "It's so quiet," Hull said. "It's really, really hard to be here." Two weeks ago while she and her husband were out of town, bees attacked 3-year-old Chelsea and 4-year-old Lucy in their back yard. Lucy died instantly while the dog sitter took Chelsea to the emergency room. "They told us that Chelsea had 150 bee stings," Hull said. "She fought very hard, but it was too much for her system." The Hulls wondered where the deadly bees came from. It turns out the bees are being kept in the yard behind them. "We had no idea someone was raising bees inches from our yard," Hull said. "We just didn't know." Because of the way they aggressively attacked her dogs, Hull worries they're Africanized bees, who are persistent and can pursue a perceived threat for up to a quarter of a mile. Now the Hulls don't even go out in the back yard anymore. They're worried for themselves and their community. I walk my grandson every day around here because I take care of him every day," said neighbor Kathy Heiple. "It is a concern having the bees, especially if they're raising them behind their home." We tried contacting the homeowners keeping the bees, but with no luck. Neighbors say they are out of town. "(The homeowners are) very nice, they're older," said neighbor Jacque Elmer. "In fact, they're in their 80s. I don't think they would do anything that would cause any problem with anybody." "I'm dealing with it one day at a time because I have a mission to get rid of those hives," Hull said. After checking with the city of Phoenix, we learned it is legal to keep bees on your property. The code allows for one hive or colony per 1,700 square feet. (Tess Rafols, KVKL-TV 3 News, 11/30/06.)
LITTLE ROCK, AR --- As has been the case for thousands of years, crop yields and honeybees are inextricably linked. So how healthy is the Arkansas bee population? "We do have some issues to deal with," says Mark Stoll, who oversees apiary concerns for the Arkansas Plant Board. "Bee pests currently in the state include tracheal mites, varroa mites, small hive beetles and the Africanized honeybee." Varroa mites can be found in most hives. Strong colonies are a good defense against them and certain types of bees - like Russians - handle varroa mites better. There are also treatments available to keep the mites in check. Tracheal mites are also in most hives. Those can be treated and kept at bay by maintaining healthy colonies. As for small hive beetle, "we've got it in 33 to 35 counties in the state. We've dropped the regulations on it. When they were only in a few counties, we had some quarantines on movement. But when they spread across so much of the state, the quarantine wasn't feasible." Now, Stoll and colleagues try to ensure beekeepers have proper treatments and education on the beetle. "The ground around hives needs to be treated because this beetle can destroy hives very quickly if left untreated." As for the most common diseases, Arkansas beekeepers face American foulbrood, European foulbrood, and chalkbrood. "Chalkbrood isn't a big issue, though. We don't see many cases and a strong colony can clear it up with some effort." European foulbrood is treatable. However, "if you've got American foulbrood, it is recommended hives be destroyed because it isn't treatable." Africanized honeybees Stoll says, thus far, five southwest Arkansas counties have positively identified the Africanized honeybee. This is a problem because Africanized bees - "killer bees" to some - can take over hives populated by their less-aggressive cousins, the European honeybee. "In 2005, Miller and Lafayette counties were found to have established populations of the bee. There was also a positive find in Union County (around El Dorado) and another in Clark County (near Gurdon)." The only positive find in 2006 is in Columbia County around Lamartine. "We also have quite a few samples being studied. Some of those came back inconclusive on preliminary tests so the (lab) is doing full morphometrics to determine if they're Africanized. "The reason we don't consider the Clark, Union or Columbia County bee finds Africanized is we have just one positive from each. We like to have at least two positives from two distinct areas within a county before considering them established." The Africanized honeybee pollinates as well as its European cousin. That's a good thing, says Stoll, because the Africanized bees can't be eradicated. "Once they're here we'll just have to educate the public and make everyone aware of how to handle situations, how to interact with them. We've been doing presentations for utility workers, for pest control operators, forestry employees - anyone with a greater chance of coming in contact with them. "Mostly we speak with beekeepers on these issues. They need to help us keep chances for man-aided migration to a minimum. None of us want to help the Africanized honeybee (widen its range)." Can the bee's spread be slowed? "Hopefully, we'll take out the man-aided migration (threat), which is probably the chance for them to make the biggest jumps. We don't need someone accidentally moving the (Africanized bees) from Texarkana to Fayetteville or Jonesboro." Stoll believes the slow movement they've made in Arkansas so far is due to poor environmental conditions. In 2005, the state had a severe drought, especially in the southwest. In 2006, the drought was repeated. "Eventually, though, they'll spread out. But keeping swarm traps up to monitor where they are will help keep the public in those areas informed and on the look-out. When we say, 'They're in your county,' people pay a lot more attention to what's happening in their backyard." Stoll suspects the Gurdon find was a man-aided migration. The Africanized bee was found in a trap in a train yard. "The bees can hitchhike on train cars and semis. For that reason, many of our traps are placed strategically in train yards or truck stops." New rules There are just over 1,300 beekeepers in the state. Few of them - perhaps 25 - are commercial/migratory beekeepers. "Most of those are based in the northeast part of the state - in the thick of (row-crop) country. There's one in the southwest who's actually based in Louisiana - but he has yards in Arkansas. We also have beekeepers from Oklahoma, Nebraska and South Dakota who like to overwinter their bees in south Arkansas. They bring the bees down to take advantage of the warmer temperatures." The big thing affecting Arkansas beekeepers "is we're in the process of updating apiary laws. Our current laws basically deal only with bee diseases. They're being updated to deal with bee pests - mites, the hive beetle and the Africanized honeybee. The new laws will protect beekeepers, the general public and industry." If the Arkansas
Plant Board approves the updated laws, a sponsor for the 2007 Arkansas
legislation session will be needed. (David Bennett, Farm Press, 11/29/06.)
LAKE FOREST, CA --- A woman was hospitalized Thursday after being stung on the face and neck while trying to get a swarm of aggressive bees away from her dogs outside a Lake Forest apartment complex, a fire official said. The Orange County Fire Authority was called to the Arboretum apartment complex at 22700 Lake Forest Drive at 2:29 p.m. on a report of aggressive bees swarming in a parking lot, OCFA Capt. Stephen Miller said. When crews arrived, they could hear a woman screaming, Miller said. The 38-year-old dog owner was taken to Saddleback Hospital, Miller said. Her injuries were not serious. The extent of injuries to the dogs in the bee attack was not known, but county animal control employees responded to take them for treatment, Miller said. All of the dogs survived, Miller said. Pest control workers found a bee hive inside a wall. The hive, which apparently had been there about a year, was destroyed, Miller said. (KCAL-TV 9 News, 11/9/06.)
INDIAN RIVER COUNTY, FL — Killer bees, known to experts as Africanized honey bees, have arrived in Indian River County, and residents must be aware of them to avoid potentially being swarmed by the aggressive insects, according to a University of Florida entomologist. Dr. William H. Kern Jr., assistant professor of entomology and nematology, said Africanized honey bees have completed a trek to Florida that began when they escaped in 1957 from a Brazilian research center, where scientists were breeding honey bees that would adapt to tropical climates. Since they left Brazil, Africanized honey bees reached Mexico in 1984, Texas in 1990, and California in 1992, said Kern, who is with the University of Florida's Fort Lauderdale Research and Education Center. "Martin County has them, St. Lucie County definitely has them, and they are increasing abundant in Dade and Broward counties," Kern said. Kern said swarms have been recently reported in Indian River County, which led him to begin a three-day seminar Tuesday at the Indian River County Sheriff's Office to educate firefighters, emergency rescue personnel, utility workers, landscapers, farmers, exterminators and the general public on how to cope with the bees. "We don't use the 'K' word," Kern said, adding scientists prefer the term Africanized honey bees to describe the bees, which are a hybrid created by Brazilian scientists from European honey bees and African honey bees. Kern said 16 deaths have been attributed to the Africanized bees in the United States since 1990, but none in Florida. In Florida, he said, "they have killed eight dogs, one horse, one goat and one sheep." Kern estimated that within five years, when the bees are fully established, they will create one colony per 2.1 acres, with up to 60,000 bees per colony. "We're not going to be able to stop them, they are established in Florida," Kern said. The Africanized bees thrive in the wild, but also set up nests in homes' rain gutters, roof vents, wall crevices, chimneys, mailboxes, old tires and boats, Kern said. The Africanized honey bees are identical in size to the more common European honey bees, but are much more aggressive, he said. In random encounters with people, single Africanized bees usually fly away, Kern said. But when people unwittingly approach their nests, especially with lawnmowers or grass trimmers, the bees can attack viciously, enveloping a victim. He said, although some people have died, most stings are not fatal. "You're not going to feel good for a week, but it's usually not life-threatening," Kern said. Sheriff's spokesman Deputy Jeff Luther said Indian River County law enforcement officers and rescue personnel are considering equipping themselves with nylon and mesh suits for situations in which they must aid victims of a Africanized bee colony. "With the normal European bee, you can sometimes go by their colony and they're docile," Luther said. "But with African honey bees, they will go 10 times further to pursue you, and they will smother you." Kern said Africanized bees often pursue their victims as far as 300 yards. Christine Kelly-Begazo,
Indian River County agricultural agent, said a County Commission budget
committee next month will discuss allocating funds to purchase bee-proof
suits that would go in fire trucks, ambulances and patrol cars. (Dan
Garcia, Treasure Coast Newpapers, 11/1/06.)
ALTUS, OK --- An Altus man is recovering after getting stung by hundreds and hundreds of bees. Experts believe the bees were part killer bee, also known as the Africanized bee. Clem Farley was stung close to 800 times Thursday afternoon while doing some yard work at an empty home in west Altus. And he was not the first. In fact, 3 other men working outside on the other side of town were stung a number of times, too, but, Farley was stung the worst. In fact, the State Agriculture Department says his case is the third worst case they've seen. http://jimmydeyoung.gospelcom.net/weekly90.xml Farley was doing some yard work--something he always does in his down time. But when he started the lawn mower, the bees went right for him and didn't show any mercy. Farley says he saw the bees moving toward him so he quickly tried to get away. It didn't work. These bees are known for their aggressive attacks. They followed him in no time flat. After that, it was too late. He was literally covered in bees. So many, you couldn't even see his skin. While Farley was stumbling, just trying to survive, in the front yard, Carl Spencer was in the neighborhood--driving by shopping for a new home. That's when he saw Farley. He knew right away he was in trouble. Spencer wanted Farley to get in his truck, but Farley said no. He said the bees would attack him, too. So, Spencer drove up a little way, and dropped the tailgate so Farley could climb on and ride away from source of the bees. Spencer happens to know Farley. In fact, they work together at Sheppard Air Force Base. But the bees had blanketed him so completely, he didn't recognize Farley. He only recognized his jeep. "He was turning purple," Spencer said. "The bees looked like a sweater on him, there were so many bees." Since the attack, Farley has spent his time in a hospital bed, recovering. He says the pain was unbearable. "After 25 years in the Air Force, I never felt any thing like it," Farley said. Farley says he couldn't remember most of the attack. He could only thank his co-worker for being at the right place at the right time. Farley should be released from the hospital on Saturday. Bee expert Gary Grose of Tipton came out to get rid of the nest. He says he removed over 200,000 bees on the nest. He says thankfully, the bees were only part Africanized bees, or else the results could have been far worse. So far, there have been no deaths reported in Oklahoma from these types of bees. Grose says it's important to know your bees and not try to get rid of the wrong kind. He says regular honeybees are important to agriculture, so it's best to let the professionals handle it. (KSWO-TV News, 10/28/06.)
ALTUS, OK ---
Altus authorities are looking into a bee attack that sent a maintenance
man to the hospital for treatment. Patterson says the bees swarmed the man about noon while he was inside a home. The man ran several blocks while the bees continued to chase him. Patterson says it's likely the bees were in the vacant home for some time. The state Agriculture, Food and Forestry Division reports 30 counties in Oklahoma with confirmed Africanized bee cases since 2004. Jackson County had its first confirmed case in 2004. (AP, 10/27/06)
PRESCOTT, AZ --- He fell 50 feet down a mountain, was stung by bees dozens of times and had a leg amputated. Now, the Papago Park hiker rescued last week wants to make sure the same thing doesn't happen to anyone else. Santiago Corrales was climbing down a mountain at Papago Park last week when he was stung more than 100 times, eventually falling and breaking his leg. "What is more important -- the life of the bees or the life of the people?" he asked. "What are they waiting to happen?" Corrales contacted a lawyer and hopes to make changes so bees don't attack anyone else, but he said not much progress has been made. (KTVK-TV 3 NEWS, 10/11/06.)
ATHENS, GA --- Students take note: an invader is coming to campus and it's not the orange-clad Tennessee fans. Packed together in swarms, "killer bees" - also known as Africanized honey bees - are on their way to the University. The bees are expected to be in South Georgia by next year, said Bill Owens, past president of Georgia Beekeepers Association and certified master craftsman beekeeper. Killer bee stings are typically not deadly unless the person stung is allergic to bees. University experts said they can inflict intense pain and swelling even on non-allergic people. What will happen once the bees arrive in Georgia is anyone's guess, Owens said. Students have about three years to enjoy life without the threat of killer bees, Owens said. They are in parts of Florida and southern Mississippi, and are heading for Georgia, said Keith Delaplane, professor of entomology. While the Africanized honey bees look similar to the common European honey bee, they are much more aggressive. The killer bees sting more intensely and can move in massive swarms, Delaplane said. "The reality of it is we are dealing with a new species to a new environment, and it is hard to predict what they will do," he said. One thing is for sure, their nesting habits distinguish them from the common bee. While common bees nest only in specific areas, killer bees can nest in any hole, crevice or piece of trash, Delaplane said. "Killer bees nest in usual places - holes in the ground," Delaplane said. "Even as small as a Coca-Cola bottle." People in the south
have to learn to be aware: "Be prepared before you walk into the
abandoned shed," Delaplane said. Experts said the best thing to do when encountering a swarm of bees is to run away, and that killer bees have been known to chase people for up to 100 yards - the length of one football field. Honey bees were imported from Africa in an attempt to improve beekeeping in Brazil in 1956. After a technician accidentally released the bees into the wild, the bees mated with local bees, and the killer hybrid was born. Africanized bees started moving north in 1956 at an average of 200-300 miles per year, Wilbanks said. Spotted in Texas in 1990, the killer bees have spread to the Southwest states, including California, Arizona, New Mexico and Nevada, he said. Delaplane said state officials are planning now for their arrival. This November, the Georgia Farm Bureau and University experts will host a training session for health officials across the state to safely handle future attacks, Delaplane said. "Emergency responders are who will be at the frontline. It is very important that these people are properly trained and prepared," said Wilbanks. Bee suits, hats and gloves are the tools for first responders to handle emergencies - as well as a strong fire hose to subdue the bees during an attack, Delaplane said. Wilbanks said it is recommended for the general population to be aware of the potential problem. Owens agreed, noting, "Like all wild animals, people should keep away from any honey bee hive or nest." "If you have an unwelcome hive or nest that is too close for comfort, call a professional bee remover or pest control company," Owens said. For more information, contact the UGA Cooperative Extension Office or call 1-800-ASK-UGA1. (Pearman Parker, The Red and Black Newspaper, University of Georgia, 10/5/06.)
MIAMI, FL --- Two Miami roommates needed help to get rid of some unwanted visitors in their apartment. They discovered more than 10,000 bees in their kitchen ceiling. Javier Tovar didn't know the hive was there until he tried to change a bulb in a ceiling light and the bees attacked him. The roommates quickly called in an exterminator. "We thought maybe there may be a fist-size hive, but he just pulled out a basketball-sized hive. It's amazing," Tovar said. The exterminator discovered that the hive belongs to a colony of Africanized bees, which are even more aggressive than normal bees. (WFTV-NEWS 9 Orlando, 10/4/06.)
TEMPE, AZ --- Tempe Fire Department officials warned residents Tuesday not to wander into "uncharted territory" after bees stung a rescue worker more than 100 times in Papago Park on Monday. Mike Mackay, a Tempe Fire Department engineer and rescuer, rappelled down to save a 21-year-old hiker who climbed down a rock face toward a ravine and got stuck. But when bees attacked, Mackay had to retreat quickly back up the rock wall and was unable to retrieve the hiker. Phoenix Fire Department rescuers who took an alternate route ascending the wall eventually recovered the hiker. Both the hiker and the rescuer are doing OK. Firefighter Mike Reichling said this ravine by Papago Buttes is a known hive area where bees have been a problem for years. Reichling said bee-related injuries have not worsened this year. "Bees are a problem throughout the Valley and have been since I've been in the service, especially in the last 10 to 15 years," Reichling said, adding he first noticed increased reports of Africanized bees in the late 1980s. John Beebe, owner of Atomic Bee Control, said bees in Arizona are now 100 percent Africanized. But bee populations are not on the rise. His company received 50 to 60 calls per day last year to remove hives, but has only received an average of 20 to 30 calls per day this year. "Last year was very damp all year long," Beebe said, which led to blooming flowers and, thus, healthy hives. Nonetheless, firefighters
push residents to "be aware" in the parks. "There are
also snakes and scorpions to watch for," Reichling said. (Jill
Redhage, East Valley Tribune, 10/4/06.)
PAPAGO BUTTES, AZ ---- Bees attacked a man at Papago Buttes Monday afternoon and then went after rescuers. A fire official said one firefighter was stung at least 100 times and was transported to the hospital. Golfers reportedly heard the 21-year-old man screaming as he was being attacked by a swarm of bees. He was stuck in a crevice on the side of the mountain. Rescuers attempted to climb down the mountain to rescue the hiker, but were stung by bees. They then dressed themselves in bee suits and attempted a rescue from the bottom of the cliff. They were able to pull the hiker down. The hiker was stung multiple times. This isn't the first time emergency crews have been called out to Papago Buttes to rescue a hiker attacked by bees. Bee experts say June, not October, is notorious for attacks and this past June, as many as five swarms were spotted at the Papago Buttes. On June 1, a hiker fell 50 feet trying to escape aggressive Africanized bees. The treacherous fall broke both his ankles. Paramedics eventually got the man safely down the mountain. When hiking, there are two key items you should have with you to help ward off a bee attack. First, make sure you use an insect repellent that contains the chemical DEET. It will help mask perfume and cologne that can attract bees. And, wearing an elastic mosquito net will protect your face and neck. (KTVK-TV, 10/2/06.)
Lake Forest man and his two grandkids are recovering after attack. Officer says he found swarms everywhere on street. LAKE FOREST, CA – Frank Furgiuele felt helpless. The 64-year-old salesman had taken his two grandchildren – Kyle Roach, 9, and Sydney, 7 – on a favorite weekend hike along Serrano Creek when they were blanketed in what seemed like thousands of bees. Furgiuele heard buzzing in his hair and felt bees in his shirt and pants. Sydney screamed – they were ensnarled in her thick blond hair. Kyle, a black belt in tae kwon do, tried to fight them off. "The children were panicked and screaming," Furgiuele said. "All I could think about was that I couldn't help my grandchildren. I didn't care about myself. I was just thinking of them." Authorities turned their attention Monday to the source of the bees and whether any enforcement will be taken. Furgiuele and his grandchildren were attacked at 9 a.m. Sunday about a quarter-mile from home along a trail next to the Serrano Creek. The trio ran across a grassy area to a nearby tract of homes, where residents came to their rescue after hearing their screams. All three were recovering Monday from a total of more than 150 stings. Sydney, who vomited after the attack, had more than 80 stings to her head, back and arms. Kyle had 20 stings and went to school Monday. Furgiuele was covered with more than 50 stings on his head, back and arms. Residents in the quiet neighborhood wondered Monday what could have caused the bee attack. Police have linked the bees to some kept outside the home of Charles Rowden, who lives on the street where the rescues took place. Rowden said he had kept his Italian bees, known for their gentle nature, for five years without any problems. The bees were exterminated Sunday after the attack. "I wanted to see what the activity level was in the hives to see if it was consistent with what was happening on the street," said Sgt. Mike McHenry, who donned protective gear and followed the swarm Sunday. "The swarms were everywhere on the street, in front of his house, down the street and all over his back yard. They were not happy bees." Police officials said Rowden did not have a permit for beekeeping and are leaving the matter up to the city to pursue through code enforcement. Nick Nisson, an entomologist with the county, said bee swarms can develop in Orange County at any time. He added that Italian bees are often selected as honey bees. "Swarms happen when a bunch of bees follow the queen bee looking for a new home," he said. "But if you've got them stinging people in that number, they have to be upset bees." City officials said Monday that no enforcement action will be taken now that the bees have been eradicated. "If this had been reported to us before, we would definitely have followed up," said Debra Rose, assistant to the city manager in Lake Forest. "At this point, there are no bees on the property, so there is no open case. We will definitely monitor the situation to make sure the bees do not return." Kristen Smith, 40, is happy the bees are gone but doesn't want to blame her neighbor just yet. Her husband, Matt, was stung Sunday as he got bees off Furgiuele by dousing him with water and guiding him to jump into his pool. "I'm not 100 percent sure there wasn't a rogue bee," Smith said. "I'm concerned because I have children, and children play here who have allergies. But I also know if you walk along the creek, there are hives everywhere." (Erika I. Ritchie, The Orange County Register, 9/26/06.)
ALICE, TX --- Jim Wells County Sheriff's officials released Monday the name of the man killed by a swarm of bees Saturday near Alice. Reymundo Ramirez died while cutting the grass at a house on the 100 block of Farm to Market Road 1554, sheriff's officials said. Manuel Gonzalez, an animal control officer for the sheriff's department, said it is likely the nest contained Africanized bees, also known as killer bees. Ramirez died at the scene, shortly after bumping into a storage shed with his lawn mower. Ramirez, who didn't live at the property and was hired to cut the grass, ran to the side of the house but collapsed covered in bees, sheriff's deputies said. The homeowner also was stung numerous times but was able to seek shelter in a sheriff deputy's car. His injuries were not life-threatening. (David Kassabian, Corpus Christi Caller-Times, 9/25/06.)
ALICE, TX --- A Jim Wells County resident died Saturday after being attacked by a swarm of bees that stung him while he helped clean property at 119 Farm to Market Road 1554 near Alice, sheriff's department officials said. The man, whose name was not released late Saturday evening, was cutting grass and disturbed a nearby beehive, according to Lt. Javier Montalvo. The property owner also was stung and was taken to Christus Spohn Hospital in Alice. His condition was unknown late Saturday. Montalvo said the man was pronounced dead at the scene. (Barbara Ramirez, Corpus Christi Caller-Times, 9/24/06.)
VICTORIA, TX --- A man was in critical condition at a hospital Wednesday afternoon after being stung about 500 times by a swarm of bees while working in the area of Fox and Fordyce roads. He and two other men with him on the construction site in southern Victoria County were taken to DeTar Hospital Navarro. John Kaspar, chief deputy at the Victoria County Sheriff's Office, said the men, one of whom was on a backhoe, were working on a pipeline project near a brushy area east of Saxet Lake Parks about 10:50 a.m. Wednesday. "A swarm of bees must have been stirred up and attacked them," Kaspar said. The two men not on the backhoe were treated and released from the hospital. Wednesday's incident marked the fourth major incident in the past month with bees, officials said. On Monday, 90-year-old Alfred Buentello died after being attacked by a swarm of bees. Buentello was mowing in his backyard next to an old wooden vacant barn when the swarm of bees attacked, Kaspar said Monday. Buentello's wife
was in the house on Buentello Road near Wharburton Road, just west of
McFaddin, when she heard him yelling. Buentello was taken to DeTar Hospital Navarro, where he was pronounced dead. The other two incidents occurred in Bloomington at a home and in the press box at the Bloomington High School football field. (Victoria Advocate, 9/21/06.)
PORTALES, NM --- The chances of eastern New Mexico residents encountering Africanized honey bees is increasing exponentially with each new colony, according to pest control experts. Those experts are concerned encounters with the aggressive bees could lead to serious injuries or deaths. Lewis Hightower of Southwestern Pest Control and New Mexico state entomologist Carol Sutherland presented a program to Roosevelt County Commissioners Tuesday in their regular meeting. Hightower said 69 percent of the bees in Roosevelt County his company sent to the lab were Africanized. Hightower said the four-county area his company serves is testing out at 70 percent. Curry County alone is showing up with a 90 percent rate. Africanized bees can only be differentiated definitively from the docile European honey bees by lab testing using DNA or wing measurements, according to Sutherland. She said DNA is the test of choice these days. “We like to have fainted when we saw that number,” Hightower said. “We knew it was bad, but we had no idea.” Hightower said because Africanized bees are apt to swarm (divide and leave the hive) as often as every two months, the numbers of new colonies could be expected to increase 16-fold in the next year. The figures he presented show there could be 2,056 Africanized colonies in just three years. “Any bee you run into you’ve got to treat as Africanized,” Hightower said. “I’m worried about somebody running into one of these things and getting killed.” Lucy Anders of Portales was attacked by a swarm of suspected Africanized honey bees last week in her yard. She was hospitalized briefly for the stings she received, but said at Tuesday’s meeting she was doing well. Because she gets around with a walker, she was unable to run away from the bees. She yelled for help and neighbors helped her get away. Sutherland and Hightower say the best way to react to a bee attack is to run away and seek the shelter of a house or vehicle. Hightower said U.S. Department of Agriculture guidelines indicate eight to 10 stings can be fatal. Those guidelines say that 30 stings should be considered life-threatening by first-responders. Besides their rapid increase in numbers, Hightower told the group he was also amazed at how aggressive the Africanized bees he’s encountered have been. He related how he had been on a bee call west of Kenna, and in the process of moving some old tires to get to the hive, he agitated the whole colony. He said he soon had 5,000 bees swarming around his protective bee hood. He said he was stung four times by bees that got under his hood, including once on the sinus passage by a bee that flew up his nose. “I walked over a half mile from the hive, but still had 300 to 400 bees around me,” Hightower said, relating that he decided to sit down and wait them out. “It was over half an hour before they lost interest.” (Karl Terry, Portales News-Tribune, 9/20/06.)
MC FADDIN, TX --- Alfred Buentello, 90, died Monday afternoon after he was attacked by bees while mowing his lawn on Buentello Road near Wharburton Road, just west of McFaddin. "The man was mowing in his backyard next to an old wooden building, a vacant barn, when the bees attacked," said Victoria County Sheriff's Department Chief Deputy John Kasper. He said the bees came from the barn. Buentello's wife was in the house when she heard him yelling. She attempted to help him, but was unable to and then called 911, Kasper said. Buentello and his wife were taken to DeTar Hospital Navarro, where he was pronounced dead. Monday's incident marked the third major incident in the past month with bees, said Victoria County Fire Marshal Kyle Young. "This is the first time it's been this severe." The others, he said, were in Bloomington at a home and in the press box at the Bloomington High School football field just before the first game. The severity of each incident, Young said, depends on the victim's health and the number of times stung. A younger person in good health is less likely to have as bad a reaction as an elderly person in poor health, he said. Kasper did not know how many times Buentello was stung. If a person is stung and cannot get immediate medical help, Young advised, the best thing to do is get away from the swarm. "That's not always possible," he added. "Once they get going, there's not much you can do." (Rebecca Holm, Victoria Advocate, 9/19/06.)
PALM BEACH, FL --- The state-of-the-art rescue equipment for battling so-called killer bees: firefighting chemical foam and a beekeeper's suit -- with its goofy pith helmet and mesh veil. Best advice if you're caught in bee attack without your suit? Run and keep running. Enraged killer bees will give chase for about three football fields. Run farther. "If you disturb a colony of bees, make sure you're not the slowest person around," said bee expert Bill Kern, a University of Florida professor of entomology and nematology based in Fort Lauderdale. Firefighters from at least 15 Palm Beach County cities took Kern's 3-hour course Thursday in dealing with the latest apocalyptic scourge to threaten Florida -- Africanized honeybees. Africanized bees, though indistinguishable from the more docile European variety, are more aggressive, anger more quickly and attack with dozens instead of a handful of bees. They breed more often, though their colonies are smaller, spread faster in the wild and aren't particular about where they set up camp: in a water meter box, in the rafters of a park pavilion, under a bench. "They're about the only ones who like school portables," said Kern of the bees that nest beneath them. The aggressive bees arrived a few years ago at Florida ports, despite inspections and bee traps designed to stop them. "They're going to become a big problem. They're going to cover the state in the next five to 10 years," Kern told the firefighter/paramedics. Pahokee Fire-Rescue Chief Ken Burroughs said his community is already seeing more bee calls. A homeowner recently set his window air-conditioner on fire while trying to eradicate a bee colony that had settled there. Kern's advice to paramedics: Don't rush in to rescue a victim. Send in someone in a vehicle with the windows rolled up. No sirens or flashing lights which anger the bees. Keep the fire engine at least 150 feet away and the rescue vehicle and paramedics 300 yards away. Everyone on the truck should be outfitted in bee suits or normal bunker gear with bee helmets and veils with all the sleeves and collars taped closed. "Think of it as a chemical spill. Every inch of your skin needs to be covered," Kern said. Spray the chemical foam around the attacking bees and the victim. The bees will die within a minute. Then the victim can be taken to the paramedics. "Africanized bees are not the horror show the movie industry has tried to make them out to be," Kern said. Only 14 deaths in the U.S. have been attributed to the bees, none in Florida. "For most people, an encounter with an Africanized bee is five or six stings because (the victims) will run away," he said. Their sting is no more venomous than a normal honey bee's. Humans can withstand about from five to 10 stings per pound of body weight. "An adult can survive 1,000 stings but he's not going to be very happy," Kern said. He advises homeowners to call a pest control firm that deals with Africanized bees rather than try to handle a colony on their own. He also gives seminars for that industry. "Within five to 10 years they'll dominate south Florida," Kern told the firefighters. "We'll get lots and lots of calls." (TIM O'MEILIA, Cox News Service, 9/17/06.)
PORTALES, N.M. -- New tests have confirmed that nearly half of 48 bees tested this year in Roosevelt County were Africanized bees. A Portales woman was hospitalized Tuesday when she was stung by bees although it is not clear if those bees were of the Africanized type. The woman has recovered. New Mexico's first swarm of Africanized honey bees was found in 1993 in Hidalgo County. They are referred to as killer bees for their aggressive swarming and stinging which can kill humans and animals. (KRQE-TV 13 News, 9/14/06.)
WILCOX, AZ --- A 52-year-old Willcox man is lucky to be alive after a nightmarish bee attack near Klondyke Road. Harold Bob Lackner estimates he was stung at least 300 times by bees on Sunday, Aug. 6. "I lived because I'm too mean to let a few killer bees kill me," he said. "It's finally rained and I want to see it green up." Lackner was driving a bulldozer that day, trying to repair damage to some levies near Walker Canyon. "After all these floods, I was putting a dike back in," he said. "All the washouts at the ranch were taking water away from our cattle." Lackner pushed some mesquite trees against the bank. "There was a little hollow mesquite tree, and the bees came out of that," he said. Lackner swatted at what he thought was a fly, and was attacked by a swarm. "There were thousands of them," he said. Lackner threw his hands over his face, which broke his glasses in half, each piece flying in a different direction. "I stayed about five seconds longer than I should have, because I wanted to get the bulldozer out of there." But the bulldozer was too slow, so Lackner ran a quarter of a mile to a water trough and jumped in. "It was a good thing," he said. "I left the bulldozer on and some of the bees stayed with the bulldozer." Nonetheless, other bees chased him, stinging him all the way to the trough, and hovering over the water. "Every time I came up for air, the bees would sting my ears and face," he said. Lackner took the straw hat he was wearing and put it over his face to breathe through. Each time he went back under the water, he drowned a few more bees. Lackner could feel his tongue swelling up, and feared he would drown. "I got myself calmed down," he said. "I thought, 'This is the first rain we've had in a long time, and I wanted to be around to see what it does - the green-up.'" Lackner also thought about how upset his parents and the rest of his family would be if he were to die this way. He finally climbed out of the trough, and some of the bees stayed there. "I did a high trot -- running down to my truck," he said. "Then I realized that would make the poison go fast through my body, so I slowed down." Lackner continued to be stung by bees. "There were still a lot of them in my shirt and hair," said Lackner, adding that at one point he took off his T-shirt and left it on the trail. He "walked real fast" to the truck, scraping the bees' stingers off his skin with a knife. Lackner got to his truck, but it wouldn't start for him. All this time, bees were still stinging him. "There were a few around me in the truck," he said. Lackner couldn't see very well because his glasses were gone, but managed to take two Tylenol tablets he had in the truck. He then got out of the truck and walked toward Klondyke Road, killing the last two bees, which he believes had been in his hair. "They finally quit stinging at Klondyke Road," Lackner said. "I killed those two about two miles from the bulldozer." His legs were locking up, and he knew he was starting to give out. He didn't think anyone would be home, but Chuck Hoisington saw Lackner and went over to him. The neighbor called 911, as well as Lackner's sister-in-law, Kim Lackner. "That country's tore up from the flood," he said, but Kim was able to get across the creek by driving a four-wheeler, bringing Benadryl and an epinephrine injection in case of an allergic reaction. Kim gave her brother-in-law the Benadryl, but not the shot, though he did receive one later in the ambulance. She and her sons, Michael and Kyle, put Lackner in a truck and met the two ambulances that came halfway from Safford. Emergency medical personnel gave him oxygen and more Benadryl. "They laid me down, but I couldn't breathe very well, so I had them sit me up and I breathed better," he said. He asked the paramedics what they would do if he could no longer breathe. "I would give you a tracheotomy and breath for you," one of the medics told him. "I felt better after he told me that," Lackner said. "When I got to the hospital doors, I knew I was going to pass out. But I didn't." Staff at Mt. Graham Regional Medical Center removed so many stingers that they had to change the bedding that was covered in them. "They stopped counting at 300 stingers," said his wife, Jeannie, adding that she and Lackner's sister Henrietta, pulled out another 60 stingers at home that night. "We're still taking out stingers," she said. Henrietta drove her brother back to Willcox from Safford. Lackner, who has diabetes, was nauseous the whole way home. "My fever didn't break until about 2:30 a.m.," he said. "I was laid up for 10 days. On Sunday, the week anniversary, I suffered what the doctor called a delayed reaction," Lackner said. "Dr. (Dawn) Walker has been great." Now that he is up and around, Lackner is catching up on chores around his Willcox home. He is battling the weeds in his yard and hoping to sell some pigs to help pay for his medical bills. He doesn't have medical insurance. Sister-in-law, Kim, and her sons went back to the ranch three hours after the bee attack. The tractor was still running and the bees were still attacking it, Lackner said. They had to wait until dark to finally shut it off, Jeannie added. Lackner wants his family and friends to know how grateful he is for their help. "Everybody together saved me," he said. "It took a lot of people to save me." "This is the most traumatic thing I ever had happen to me," said Lackner. Jeannie said that she believes in the power of prayer. "I had been praying when I got the news, but I hadn't known why," she said. She also believes that taking good care of himself helped Lackner survive this ordeal. "I think part of what saved him is that he is in good shape," she said. "He's been running and walking, and taking vitamin supplements." "I believe that what really saved me is that I took my knife out and scraped off the stingers everywhere I could reach," Lackner said. "There I was enjoying running the CAT, and the next thing I knew I was fighting for my life," he said. "If I had to do it over again," Lackner said. "I'd move that truck closer to the bulldozer." (Carol Broeder, San Pedro Valley News-Sun, 8/30/06.)
ROSCOE, TX --- After a bee attack to a Roscoe man recently, Nolan County residents are urged to be more aware of the presence of these insects, and of the precautions they should take around them. Jessie Gonzales was stung 60 to 80 times by a swarm of bees while trying to exterminate the bees at a home south of Roscoe. He was transported by a witness and house resident Felix Rodriguez to Rolling Plains Memorial Hospital for medical treatment. Told by Rodriguez, "He (Gonzales) came over to the house to make a hole in the roof so he could spray for bees. He was on the ladder and started taking off the base boards on the porch. He got about three of them off when a two and a half foot tall mound of bees just fell on his head. I was watching from the screen door (inside the house) and it was a scary thing to see." Rodriguez continued,
"He was wearing a homemade bee suit, and after messing with them
a little more, I guess some of them got into the covering on his head
because he got down from the ladder and began to pace in the yard. There
were about 2,000 to 3,000 bees swarming and attacking him. At this point, Rodriguez was able to communicate with Gonzales through the screen door, asking if he was okay. "Call the fire department!" Gonzales yelled to him. During this time, Rodriguez reported, "The bees were attacking anything moving. They were swarming the house, attacking dogs, cats, chickens ... there were a lot of butterflies out that day, and they were falling dead out of the sky. It was crazy." "Gonzales laid on the ground for about 10 minutes or so before he finally got up. The bees were still attacking him," Rodriguez said. "He began to walk down the road when the police department and fire department arrived and escorted me and two kids out of the house. The kids were taken home, but when the man refused an ambulance, I drove him to the hospital (Rolling Plains Memorial Hospital)." When talking about the trip to the emergency room, Rodriguez said, "When I was driving him to the hospital, his eyes were blood-shot red, his face was swollen, his hands looked like oven mits. You could see the stingers sticking out of him. He started to hyperventilate for a second, but calmed back down." Gonzales was in
the hospital for seven hours before being released, and was reported
to have received 60 to 80 stings all over his body, most of which were
to his hands and 20 to 30 to the head. He said the bees had been there about one and a half to two years, but in the past six to seven months had become more aggressive, and more abundant. "It got worse and worse. Lately, you couldn't get within 100 yards of them without being attacked," said Rodriguez. Exterminator Charlie Price of West Texas Pest Control in Albany was called in to rid the house of the bees. "There were 2,000 or more bees in that hive, which is the fairly standard size for a hive ... they seemed to be very aggressive. Given the behavior of these bees, these would be classified as Africanized Bees, otherwise known as Killer Bees," Price said. "We've received more calls, altogether, and from that area (Nolan County), than usual. "When I started five years ago, there were hardly any in the area. But beginning about two years ago, we started getting more and more calls. We got three calls that week within that same area, so they (the bees) are definitely on the move." According to www.stingshield.com, the first land-migrating swarm of Africanized bees was detected in the U.S. on Oct. 15, 1990. These bees were captured in a baited trap at the border town of Hidalgo. AHB colonies were first reported in Arizona and New Mexico in 1993 and Nevada in 1998. AHB nests were discovered in Oklahoma and Alabama in 2004, and in Arkansas, Florida, and Louisiana in 2005. To date, some 161 counties in Texas, 16 counties in New Mexico, all 15 counties in Arizona, three counties in Nevada, 17 counties in California, 30 counties in Oklahoma, one county in Alabama, two counties in Arkansas, 14 counties in Florida, and four parishes in Louisiana have reported Africanized honey bee finds. Many scientists believe Africanized bees will continue to spread and successfully over winter in the U.S.'s southern tier states. After extermination at the Roscoe home, Rodriguez said, "There were piles of bees everywhere that we had to pick up. It was eerie." According to the Big Spring Herald, after three city workers were attacked by a swarm of bees recently, the exterminator reported, "If you do get stung, get a tube of preparation H and rub it on the sting. Then take a credit card and gently remove the stinger." Do not squeeze it with tweezers, as this will release more venom. Wash the site with soap and water then apply ice to reduce swelling and discomfort. Seek medical treatment if you begin to experience difficulty breathing or have known allergies to insect stings. The best rule to follow if a swarm or hive is encountered is also the simplest - stay away from it. (Joe Max Tomlin/Reporter County-City Editor, 8/29/06.)
SIERRA VISTA, AZ --- Two men who were attacked by a bee swarm on the roof of their Huachuca City house Sunday were identified as Chuck Pasley and his son Charlie Pasley, according to the Cochise County Sheriff's Department. Chuck Pasley, 62, suffered from about 100 stings but was able to escape the bees by going inside the house. He was admitted to Sierra Vista Regional Health Center. Officials said Monday he was no longer at the hospital. Charlie Pasley, 39, tried to spray off the bees with a garden hose and died after being stung about 300 times, according to a department press release. Emergency officials at the scene were also stung while spraying foam on the house as they tried to kill the bees. (Arizona Daily Star, 8/22/06.)
SIERRA VISTA, AZ --- A 39-year-old man died after a swarm of bees attacked him and his father. The two men were working on a roof Sunday when they accidentally disturbed a bee hive. While the father sought refuge inside the home, the son stayed outside to try to ward off the bees, said Carol Capas, spokeswoman for the Cochise County Sheriff's Department. The father was stung about 100 times, but his son was fatally stung about 300 times. The father was stable in stable condition at Sierra Vista Regional Medical Center Sunday afternoon, Capas said. It was unclear whether the son died at the house or at the hospital. Sheriff's deputies and firefighters used foam to placate the angry bees. Two emergency workers were stung, but were OK, Capas said. She did not know what type of bees attacked the men. Reed Booth, a bee expert based in Bisbee, was shocked by the man's death. "My Lord," he said. "I'm very saddened to hear this." He said people need to understand the danger of bees. "All of the wild honey bees in Arizona are Africanized bees," he said. "If you have an existing hive, it is a bomb waiting to go off. It's not if, it's when. People don't take it seriously enough." Booth urged anyone who sees a hive around their home or neighborhood to immediately contact a bee-removal professional. The sheriff's department released a public service announcement warning those living in the area about the swarm. The best way for people to protect themselves against bees is to take cover, Capas said. "People need to be prepared if they're out and about," she said. She suggested people
wear light-colored clothing because bees are attracted to dark colors,
and warned people to not leave garbage outside and to make sure to fill
any crevices in their homes with steel wool or caulking. (AP, 8/21,06.)
SABINO CANYON, AZ - A maintenance worker was stung by bees more than 100 times Wednesday afternoon when he disturbed a hive at a hotel near Sabino Canyon. The man was working on an air conditioning unit on the roof of the Ramada Inn, 6944 E. Tanque Verde Road, about 2 p.m. when the swarm attacked him, said Capt. Paul McDonough, a Tucson Fire Department spokesman. The bees came from a hive within a wall and probably thought the man was threatening the hive, McDonough said. The man was stung more than 100 times as he tried to swat the bees away and wash them off using a nearby water fountain, McDonough said. He was taken to a hospital with serious injuries. Officials closed
off an area near the hive while waiting for an exterminator to arrive
to kill the bees. (Arizona Daily Star, 8/16/06.)
MANATEE, FL ---- Peter Burkard has been keeping bees and selling honey in Manatee County for nearly 27 years, but a few years ago he noticed something different. "Up until a few years ago, I could go to the hive, take the honey off and not get stung," said Burkard, who lives just north of Tallevast Avenue and sells his "I Love You Honey" every Saturday at Sarasota's Farmer's Market. "Now," Burkard said. "Even if I do everything the same, use smoke properly and not make quick movements, I seem to get a couple of stings whenever I go in." Burkard doesn't know for sure if his five strong hives have been invaded by the more aggressive African honeybees, also called Killer Bees, but he has his suspicions. With more than 7,000 honeybee colonies, Manatee County beekeepers are concerned about the invasion of Africanized bees that started showing up in Tampa Bay a year ago. But they just aren't sure it's really happening. "Someone told me that our Manatee County bees are 70 to 80 percent Africanized, but I haven't noticed it," Palmetto's Gary Ranker, a commercial beekeeper, said. "I haven't seen any more aggressive behavior." Manatee County's single state-managed bait hive - at Port Manatee - has collected 13 samples since 2002, revealing only one positive DNA match for the Africanized bee, Denise Feiber, a Florida Department of Agriculture spokesman, said Monday. In comparison, the state has 81 bait hives in Hillsborough County and has collected 325 samples since 2002. Of those samples, DNA testing has revealed that 140 were the more aggressive Africanized bee that arrived in the United States about 20 years ago and is responsible for 14 deaths nationally. None of those deaths occurred in Florida, Feiber said. "The bees are established," Feiber said. "They are in Manatee County, but not in huge numbers. If there is one, there are likely to be more." The Florida Department of Agriculture is trying to stay ahead of the threat, notifying first responder groups about what to do if someone or an animal is attacked by a swarm. So far, the only reported attacks on humans and animals has come in South Florida, particularly Miami and Fort Pierce, Feiber said. "We want fire departments and rescue groups to acquire the bee suits and do the training," Feiber said. "This is a new initiative." Feiber will meet with 911 operators across the state soon, to make sure they know what to do when the get a call. "We will try to notify each county about what pest control companies will do nest removals," Feiber said. What many beekeepers are doing to combat the African bee is called "requeening," Feiber said. This process involves removing the queen from the hive and replacing her with one that is a certified European, or more gentle, bee, Feiber said. "There will be other things that may change," Feiber said. "They may have to locate their hives in different places, further from public areas." Right now, however, managed hives like Burkard's and Ranker's are the best protection against the Killer Bees, Feiber said. "The Africanized
bee will move to somewhere else if there are already bees competing
for food," Feiber said. "That's why the best defense against
the African bee are those figures in the white suits with those white
hive boxes." (Richard Dymond, The Bradenton Herald, 8/1/06.)
RANCHO CUCAMONGA, CA ---- An attack from bees whose hive had been disturbed left three people hospitalized, seven others stung, and two dogs injured Saturday evening. Rancho Cucamonga firefighters and a San Bernardino County Sheriff's deputy responded to Victoria Park in the area near Carleton P. Lightfoot Elementary School at 6989 Kenyon Way in Alta Loma, said Battalion Chief Mike Costello. When they arrived, the firefighters were immediately attacked by the swarm of bees, Costello said. The firefighters escaped injury because they wore protective clothing. A husky who was walking with two children and their mother was not so lucky. ''The dog was covered in bees when they got there,'' Costello said. There were ''10 to 20 stings (each) on the mom and children,'' he said. That same family had a black Labrador retriever who was stung as well. The three victims were taken to a local hospital for treatment. Once firefighters arrived, there were other people who reported being stung by the bees, said Janet Dorsett, dispatch supervisor for the Ontario Fire Department. The bees attacked a total of 10 people, Costello said. Firefighters took the husky to a nearby emergency hospital for treatment. It was not known if the dog would survive, Costello said. A deputy who arrived to direct people out of the park was also stung on his neck, Costello said. He was checked out but did not require treatment, Costello said. The second dog also was stung several times but will likely survive, he said. Firefighters dispersed the bee swarm by dousing the insects with foam, Costello said. The hive, located
in an irrigation box, was also doused with foam, Costello said.
PRUNEDALE, CA --- Aggressive Africanized honey bees - also known as killer bees - were documented for the first time in Pajaro Valley this summer. Bob Roach, Monterey County assistant agriculture commissioner, says they have contained the bees but plan to conduct surveys over the next two years to make sure none escaped. J.R. Githens, a beekeeper in Prunedale, removed the bees from a building near Hollister in June and took them back to colonize one of his hives. "I didn't even think about them being Africanized, I just figured they were nasty bees," Githens said. Githens soon realized the bees were too nasty to be normal European honey bees so he brought a few bees to the agriculture commission for genetic testing. The results came back positive for African genes. This was the first report of Africanized bees in Monterey County. The aggressive bees were first sighted in California in 1994, but have remained concentrated in southern counties. Githens, who owns about 60 hives, says he often responds to complaints about infestations. "I try to save as many bees as I can," Githens said. "But now that I realize there's a possibility they're Africanized, I'll look at them a little closer before I bring them home." Africanized honey bees hail from Brazil, where gentler European honey bees cross bred with African honey bees. The resulting Africanized bees were more tolerant to the tropical climate in Brazil, but they were also much more aggressive. Africanized bees look identical to our gentle European honey bees - genetic testing is needed to tell the difference - but when their nests are disturbed they turn out en masse drive out the intruder. "As far as pollinating flowers you can't tell the difference," said Watsonville beekeeper Bob Miller. "But if you threaten their home, they basically empty out the hive. Hundreds and hundreds of them come out to sting you." Africanized bees have the same venom as normal bees, but the number of stings can make them dangerous by causing allergic reactions, kidney problems or even death. To contain the aggressive bees, Githens killed the colony's queen and all her Africanized brood, replacing her with a European queen. The sterile worker bees were left to care for the new queen. "I went back to the hive last week and it was a nice gentle hive," Githens said. Roach said he's unaware of any other Africanized bee colonies in the area, but if some of the male bees escaped, they could breed with local queens and make new aggressive colonies. That's why he'll be checking the area for Africanized bees for the next two years. "People need to be careful around any kind of bee," Roach said. "If you see bees flying in and out, don't molest them." Miller, who keeps about 1,500 hives in Watsonville, said he worries Africanized bees will give all bees a bad name. Bees produce honey and pollinate a variety of crops including almonds, apples, squash, and raspberries. When the almond trees begin to bloom, beekeepers from 38 states bring nearly half the country's hives to California to pollinate the delicate flowers. Miller said beekeepers may help stem the spread of Africanized bees by providing competition for nectar and killing Africanized colonies when they find them. "If you outlaw beekeeping, you open the whole area up to Africanized bees," Miller said. (Emily Saarman, Santa Cruz Sentinel, 7/28/06.) HOW TO AVOID AFRICANIZED HONEY BEE STINGS * Eliminate nesting
sites in and around your home - cracks in walls, empty flower pots,
or tires.
PRUNEDALE, CA --- Monterey County officials say the potential danger from a hive of aggressive Africanized honey bees discovered in Prunedale was neutralized by removing the queen and her eggs. Identical to other honey bees, Africanized honey bees swarm faster and in larger numbers to protect their hives and areas around hives. An alert beekeeper brought bees from a wild colony near Hollister to Prunedale for analysis. Experts from the state Department of Food and Agriculture confirmed the bees were Africanized honey bees. Officials said they are checking to see if more aggressive bees are in the area, but they said there is no reason for the public to panic. "This just serves as a reminder to all of us to be aware of honey bees and take precautions not to get stung," said Bob Roach, assistant county agricultural commissioner. For information, check the state agricultural department's Web site at www.cdfa.ca.gov or call the agricultural commissioner's office at 759-7325. (The Monterey County Herald, 7/27/06.)
PRUNEDALE, CA
--- Authorities
have neutralized a hive of so-called killer bees found in Monterey County. A Monterey County agricultural official says removing the queen bee makes the bees less dangerous. Authorities say the killer bees pose a threat to humans because they are more protective of their hives, guard a larger area and will swarm faster and in larger numbers than other types of honey bees. (AP, 7/27/06.)
HOLLISTER, CA --- Test results released this week confirmed that a swarm of bees found last month in north San Benito County were Africanized honeybees - a dangerous but rarely deadly pest. A north county property owner found the bees living in an old pump house near Foothill Road. After being stung several times, the property owner called a Prunedale beekeeper to destroy the swarm, San Benito County Agriculture Commissioner Paul Matulich said. Some of the bees were sent to the Monterey County Agriculture Commissioner's Office, where they tested positive as Africanized Honeybees, Matulich said. Africanized bees, also known as killer bees, defend their colonies more aggressively than other bees. They are easily disturbed and tend to sting as a group, which can make them dangerous, especially for people allergic to bee stings. Matulich said the bees have also been known to chase humans and animals up to a quarter mile, which is much farther than their gentle European counterparts. Although Africanized Honeybees have been responsible for dozens of deaths in the United States, Matulich said county residents have no reason to panic. Matulich said officials from the California Department of Food and Agriculture are planning to survey the area to look for, track and destroy any other Africanized bee swarms found in the county. If more of the bees are found, they will be destroyed immediately, Matulich said. "There is no need to be worried," Matulich said Wednesday. "But people should be more alert." Matulich said this is the first time Africanized bees have been found in San Benito County. In appearance, Africanized bees are nearly indistinguishable from the common European honeybee. They also carry the same venom as the European variety. Matulich said the complex testing process |
SWARM OF BEES ATTACKS TWO TEENS, FIREFIGHTERS AND DOG
BEES ATTACK THREE PEOPLE, TWO DOGS IN BACK YARD