RECENT AFRICANIZED HONEY BEE STORIES REPORTED IN THE MEDIA
(Stories are non-edited. List is not comprehensive; news headlines are capitalized; introductions are italicized)

US stinging incidents resulting in serious injury to man or domestic animals are still widely reported in the press, as are also minor events in newly colonized areas. However, minor casualties do not always make local news in those communities where Africanized bees are well established. The Los Angeles Times (3/13/94) reported The Tucson Citizen " ... all but stopped reporting routine bee incidents" as early as 1994.

KILLER BEES ATTACK SOCAL WOMAN AND HER HORSE

PALOS VERDES , CA --- Africanized honey bees swarmed a woman and her horse on a Palos Verdes Peninsula trail.

Torrance resident Jacquie Ball was stung repeatedly but wasn't seriously hurt.

The woman says she was riding her horse and leading a yearling on Upper Si's Canyon Trail in the Palos Verdes Estates area last week when the bees attacked, targeting her face and the horse she was riding.

She turned loose the yearling, jumped off her horse and ran.

The hive was later removed from an old water meter.

In the last 15 years, Africanized honey bees - so-call killer bees - have become common in Southern California. (Associated Press, 6/10/09.)

AFRICANIZED BEES SWARM BURNING HOUSE

ST. PETERSBURG, FL -- Firefighters said a blaze at a small Florida home got more complicated when Africanized bees swarmed the house.

St. Petersburg Fire Department Lt. Joel Granata said the blaze started with a gas water heater on the back porch of Robert Porter's house at about 9:38 a.m. Firefighters arriving to douse the flames were met by what a beekeeper estimated to be 40,000 Africanized bees swarming the front door and walls, the Tampa (Fla.) Tribune reported Wednesday.

Granata said another hazard was created when the fire caused a power line attached to the back of the house to fall on and electrify a chain-link fence.

The house sustained about $30,000 worth of damage before firefighters were able to extinguish the flames.

Granata said no serious injuries were reported, but some people were stung by the bees. (UPI, 6/10/09.)

BEE SWARM ATTACKS WACO EXTERMINATOR

WACO, TX ---- Waco exterminator is in good condition a colony of bees attacked him Wednesday morning.

Waco police officers, firefighters and ETMC paramedics responded to reports of a bee attack at around 10:30 a.m. Wednesday behind the Social Security Building at 6801 Sanger Ave.

Fire officials told News 10 the exterminator was trying to remove a colony built inside the wall of a residence when the bees turned on him and began to swarm.

Witnesses say he was covered from head to toe with the bees.

The exterminator, who was wearing protective gear, says he received only a few stings, but overheated in the suit, which caused him to panic.

Police blocked off surrounding streets for about an hour. Witnesses say several residents were stung but are OK. (Lauren Westbrook, KWTX-TV 10, 6/10/09.)

40,000 AFRICANIZED BEES, ELECTRIFIED FENCE HAMPER ST. PETERSBURG FIREFIGHTERS

ST. PETERSBURG, FL - The hive grew a foot, then another, and another. For years.

The Africanized bees lived in front of Robert Porter's tiny one-bedroom house. Forty thousand of them, in an 8-foot-tall hive that stretched 30 inches wide. Sixty pounds of honeycomb.

He knew they were there. But rather than pay a beekeeper to get them out, he ignored them.

The bees and Porter, they had an understanding.

"I was living with them," said Porter, 66. "They don't bother you if you don't bother them."

Tuesday, they were bothered.

An empty bookcase and boxes, too close to a gas water heater on Porter's back porch, caught fire about 9 a.m., said St. Petersburg Fire Rescue Lt. Joel Granata. Flames erupted, destroying the porch and spreading throughout the home at 1661 29th Ave. N.

The fire burned a power line, which fell and electrified a chain-link fence in the back yard.

In the commotion, the Africanized bees burst from the hive. But they didn't leave. In self-preservation, bees attempt to gather honey rather than scatter when something threatens them, said beekeeper Rodney Tyoe, a retired firefighter summoned to help.

When rescue workers arrived, Capt. Bernie Williams saw the bees and told firefighters with bee allergies to get back. That's when he felt the prick on his right shin.

"I looked down and I saw the bee sting me," he said. "I knocked him off my leg."

After firefighters controlled the fire, Tyoe sprayed pesticide and removed the burned beehive and dumped it in a box. The rest of the bees will gradually die from the pesticide, he said.

A bee stung an ABC Action News camera operator, said Granata. Tyoe also had several pricks on his arms.

Africanized bees, also called "killer bees," are common. When they sting, their bee friends flock to the scent and swarm, said Tyoe, 71, who has been "playing" with bees since he was 19.

But he hasn't had a call like this in years.

"Oh, now, I've seen bigger than that, but it was up there," he said. "It's pretty good when you get one that's 8 feet long."

Porter is an unemployed former soldier, salesman and construction worker living on Social Security. Neighbors said he loves to greet newcomers and leave Christmas gifts on porches.

"This is what happens to the nicest people in the neighborhood," said his friend James Mock.

Tuesday morning, Porter ate a bowl of Smart Start cereal, peaches and strawberries and walked to get a newspaper. Back home, his cat Black Beauty Marie (named after Marie Osmond) mewed incessantly. She had just lost two babies from her litter. Porter figured she was upset.

"Stop it," he told her. "You'll get over it. I will bury your poor babies."

He took a nap and woke about 9 a.m. to flames. Officials estimate about $30,000 in damage was done to the home, worth $79,500. Porter retrieved bills and a painting of red poppies and a Japanese geisha. The Red Cross put him up at a Ramada Inn.

Porter wasn't concerned with the bees Tuesday. He just wanted to get clean clothes and food for his cats - Scrappy, Lightening, Sabre, Scruffy, Black Beauty Marie and Zippy. By the time the fire was out, he had seen only Scrappy.

"They probably skedaddled," said firefighter Nicki Walker, allergic to bees and clad in protective gear. "There was too much going on with all the noise. We didn't see any inside."

Porter stayed upbeat, glad to be safe. He figured he'd get lunch at Denny's.

He just ordered Marie Osmond's new book, he said. It's called Might as Well Laugh About It Now. (Stephanie Hayes & Emily Nipps, The St Petersburg Times, 6/10/09.)

AFRICANIZED BEES ATTACK TORRANCE WOMAN ON ROLLING HILLS HORSE TRAIL

PALOS VERDES , CA --- Now is the time of year when Africanized honey bees can get particularly aggressive, a fact one local equestrian recently found out the hard way.

Torrance resident Jacquie Ball was riding her horse and leading a yearling on Rolling Hills' well-traveled Upper Si's Canyon Trail last week when some very angry bees decided she was an intruder.

They attacked, targeting her face and the horse she was riding. She turned loose the yearling, jumped off her horse and ran back up the trail, but was stung on her entire way back.

"I never saw a hive or a colony or a swarm, or anything that was a warning," said Ball, who runs a local horse transportation business. "I just got hit in the face, hard and fast.

"With all these years of riding on trails, I've been through honeybees," she said. "This is way out of the ordinary."

After calls to the city and Los Angeles County West Vector and Vector-Borne Disease Control District, the culprits were found. On June 3, a hive was removed from its home - an old water meter, a favorite spot for the bees.

"A lot of times they'll pick a spot not too far off the trail, but you can't see the hive," said vector district Executive Director Robert Saviskas. "They tend to like open areas like Palos Verdes."

In the last 15 years, Africanized honey bees have become common in Southern California, having spread from South America through Texas. The bees are more protective of their territory and swarm more frequently and more aggressively than honey bees, Saviskas said.

The vector district gets calls about aggressive bees from The Hill every year, but the attack on Ball was unique in severity, Saviskas said.

Signs alerting residents to bees have been placed on the private Rolling Hills trail.

"This needs to be a warning to everybody," Ball said.

If attacked, you should run quickly to a safe area, preferably indoors. Do not swat bees or flail about - bees are attracted to movement and the smell emitted by their crushed brethren.

For more information on Africanized bees, go to www.lawestvector.org. (Melissa Pamer, The Daily Breeze, 6/9/09.)

LANDSCAPE WORKER ATTACKED BY BEES IN KENDALL

KENDALL. FL --- A landscape worker in Kendall was attacked by a swarm of bees Tuesday morning as he cut grass near a sidewalk, according to officials.

Miami-Dade fire rescue's venom response unit treated the man, who was reportedly stung at least six times at 9:30 a.m.

The man was attacked as he worked next to a lawn service truck parked near the intersection of Southwest 132nd Avenue and North Kendall Drive, according to fire rescue spokesman Lt. Eddy Ballester.

Ballester said that the venom unit's Lt. Lisa Wood, dressed in a full bee suit, was providing assistance to the hurt man.(Jose Pagliery, The Miami Herald, 6/2/09.)

ELDERLY HAMILTON MAN DIES FROM BEE STINGS

HALMILTON, TX --- An 89-year-old Hamilton man died Sunday night after being attacked in early May by more than 300 bees as he was on his riding mower, according to an autopsy released Monday by the Tarrant County medical examiner's office.

His wife found him on the couple's porch after the attack on May 2, medical examiner reports state. Hamilton is about 115 south of Fort Worth and 60 west of Waco.

The medical examiner's office identified the man as Audie Herriott who died at a Lewisville nursing home about 11 p.m. Sunday.

His death was caused by complications from bee stings and his death was ruled an accident, according to the autopsy.

According to medical examiner reports, Herriott was out in his yard in Hamilton last month.

At some point, the 89-year-old man was attacked by bees that were estimated to be from 300 to 500 in number, reports state.

Herriott managed to get off the riding mower and walked to the house, according to reports.

After he was found by his wife, he was taken to central Texas hospitals and later transferred to the Lewisville nursing home, reports state. (Domingo Ramirez Jr., Fort Worth Star Telegram, 6/1/09.)

MAN STUNG BY HUNDREDS OF BEES DIES

FORT WORTH, TX - An 89-year-old man who was attacked by a swarm of more than 300 bees while mowing the lawn has died.

The Tarrant County Medical Examiner's Office ruled the death of Audie Herriott an accident caused by complications from bee stings. Herriott died at a Lewisville nursing home late Sunday.

The Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports that Herriott's wife found him on the porch May 2 after he was attacked by bees outside his home in Hamilton, about 115 miles south of Fort Worth.

Herriott had managed to get off his riding mower and walk to the house. (Associated Press, 6/1/09.)

BEWARE OF BEES THIS SUMMER

PRESCOTT, AZ --- Bees are our friends - although it's hard to remember that if they're chasing you.

Yavapai County Community Health Services wants to remind people that bees are not likely to sting unless threatened, so don't provoke or disturb them this summer.

If you regularly see many bees, health officials said in a press release, be alert to the chance there may be a wild honeybee colony nearby. Look for numerous bees flying in and out of an opening such as a crack in a wall, a hole in the ground, or any other place where bees can build a hive.

If you find a hive, keep everybody away, including pets, health officials said.

Do not disturb them or try to remove them yourself, but don't ignore them either, even if they don't seem to be a problem. If they are "Africanized" they may be especially aggressive.

If attacked by bees, run away as fast as you can in a straight line, health officials said. Try to get to a shelter such as a car or house. Bees can follow a person as far as half a mile from their nests, when they likely would no longer consider you a threat to their hive.

If you are stung, embedded stingers can continue to inject venom for up to a minute. Scrape out stingers with a fingernail, credit card, pocketknife or other sharp-edged object, health officials said.

Do not pull them out with tweezers or fingers, because you can squeeze more venom into your body.

If you see someone in distress being stung by bees, call 911.

If a hive is on private property, the owner is responsible for its removal, health officials said.

If a property owner does not remove the hive and you are concerned about safety, contact Yavapai County Community Health Services at 771-3149.

Brian Supalla, the county's public health protection manager, says most property owners are responsible people, but, "We once had to get a court order and do it ourselves to protect others in the neighborhood." (The Prescott Daily Courier, 5/29/09.)

AFRICANIZED BEES REMOVED

CEDAR CITY--- Among a thicket of trees on the property of Oral and Hanna Covington came a buzzing that the couple recently realized was not from regular bees as they first thought, but a colony of Africanized honey bees.

The colony had its hive situated inside the eaves on the south side of the Ridge Road home, and as Morgan Termite and Pest Control tore into the eaves for almost three hours Wednesday afternoon and evening, they uncovered more than 150 pounds of honeycomb.

"They were along the support beams," Utah Department of Agriculture and Food Public Information Officer Larry Lewis said, showing the Covingtons, who stayed inside their home, what was happening outdoors. "It was just dripping honey."

David Kipp, owner of Morgan Pest Control, said the bees started building in that location nearly four years ago, starting off with European honey bees that eventually were worked to death by the Africanized bees and replaced.

"They come up from South America and Mexico and moved up to Arizona, Nevada and Utah," Kipp said, noting the company has removed the same bees from several locations in Washington City in the last year.

Kipp and his assistant RG Hess sprayed the bees, which may have numbered above 50,000, then pulled down large pieces of the eaves that were covered in both live and dead insects.

"They're going to fly around for another 24 hours, come back and get confused, but we sprayed them with a chemical so when they land next they'll die," Hess said, as he showed the Covingtons a piece of rotting wood from their house, ruined by damp honey.

"I wish they had picked a different spot, but I wouldn't wish this on anyone," Oral Covington said of the bees. "They liked our view."

The couple first noticed the bees when a plumber came to fix pipes that had caused basement flooding and had to cut three big trees on the south side of the property to reach the area.

Oral Covington, thinking they were honey bees, tried spraying and clearing them away, never getting stung, but nothing helped, Hanna Covington said.

"I even tried to find a bee keeper to take the hive but in this economy it wasn't going to make any money," she added.

They contacted the agriculture department and they sent a bee expert to collect samples of the insect, Oral said.

"She took a handful of dead ones back with her and they tested as a strain of the Africanized bees," he explained.

Knowing what they were getting themselves into, but never having experienced this strain of bees, Lewis, department member Jeremy Peterson, Morgan Pest Control and several members of the media suited up outside the house before heading into possible danger.

"I've been in two killer bee attacks," said KSL TV anchor John Hollenhorst, noting the one he experienced in Arizona 10 years ago ended with his cameraman giving up and running from the bees as they chased him. "They go into every seam and try to get through every patch of duct tape," he added as men in protective suits taped up any opening on their veiled hard hats and white coveralls.

"We thought they were mad before but they're going to be even more mad now," Hanna commented as she watched from her bathroom window as the pest control workers began spraying.

Luckily, Hess said later, the colony wasn't that aggressive Wednesday.

"Usually, the longer they're out here, the more aggressive they become."

For more information on Africanized bees or to report a hive, visit http://ag.utah.gov/. (Nur Kausar, The Spectrum and Desert Valley Times, 5/29/09.)

HIVE OF AFRICANIZED BEES FOUND IN CEDAR CITY

CEDAR CITY, UT --- A hive of Africanized honey bees has been found in the eaves of a Cedar City home and Utah agriculture officials said Tuesday they want to know if there are more in the area.
The hive has probably been at the Cedar City home for two to three years, according to Larry Lewis, a spokesman for the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food.

It will be destroyed by a pest control company, he said.

The bees appear to have survived the winter by seeking shelter inside the home's walls. State officials said they don't believe honey bees can survive Utah's freezing temperatures without some kind of protection.

"But if for some reason they are able to find an artificial environment to over-winter, we could see Africanized bees anywhere in the state," Lewis said.

Africanized bees -- sometimes known as "killer bees" -- were confirmed in Washington and Kane counties in February.

Although Africanized bees look like European honey bees, they tend to be more aggressive and swarm more often. But their stings aren't more powerful than other bees'.

Attacks on people and animals have happened in other states but are relatively rare.

Utah officials said there haven't been any problems with bees in southern Utah and they aren't believed to be widespread.

Lewis said the Cedar City couple whose home had the beehive didn't report any stings. They contacted state officials after publicity about Africanized bees in nearby counties. Lab tests confirmed the hive held Africanized bees, Lewis said.

More than a dozen bee traps are being set up in Iron County to see where else the Africanized bees might have spread.

"We're curious. If there was one (hive) in a home, might there be others?" Lewis said. "We want to know the extent of the migration."

State agriculture officials have said Utah residents should be cautious around bees -- and remember the important role they play in pollinating fruit, vegetables and crops that are part of the state's agriculture economy.

Africanized bees are the result of interbreeding between European honey bees and bees from Africa. They were inadvertently released in Brazil in the 1950s. They were first spotted in Texas in 1990 and have since been found in several other states, including California, Florida, Arizona and Nevada. (Mike Stark, Associated Press, 5/26/2009.)

FAMILY ATTACKED BY BEES

ARROYO CITY --- What was supposed to be a pleasant Memorial Day weekend at Adolph Thomae Jr. County Park in Arroyo city quickly turned in to a nightmare. Camper Baldamar Garcia was with his family when their vacation was suddenly ended by a swarm of bees.

"We noticed there was a beehive in the area, where they have the information both for the campers" says Garcia,"and we passed there several times and the bees never did anything to us. And not until the following day when someone started to BBQ and I guess that aggravated them."

After seeing his family getting attacked, Garcia and his wife and children ran to their tents for shelter and tried calling emergency responders.

"I called 911, they called EMS, I called the guard shack and we were in the county park and they were all available and we couldn't get no help," says Garcia. "We had to take things in to our own hands and save ourselves."

The Rio Hondo fire department did show up but told action 4 that they left when they received word from park officials that no one was in danger. Garcia said he tried to warn the park about the bees but feels they took it too lightly.

"They might of been joking and I'm sure they were," says Garcia, "we paid to camp there and they told us...At least we're not charging you for the bees."

The bees were eventually taken care of by an exterminator but not before Garcias cousin Omar Tamez and his family were taken to the hospital. This is one situation that Tamez says he is glad it is over.

"I lived and I experienced it and it is one scary scary thing to go through" (KGBT-TV 4, 5/24/09.)

BEES ATTACK ELDERLY WOMAN IN SANTA ANA

SANTA ANA, CA --- A swarm of bees attacked an elderly woman who was walking near a high school in Santa Ana and then stung two men who stopped to help her, officials said today.

The unidentified woman was walking near Foothill High School at Foothill Boulevard and Old Foothill Road about 7:45 p.m. Wednesday when she was stung 30 to 50 times by the swarm.

She was taken to Western Medical Center for treatment, but her condition was unknown this morning.

Two men who witnessed the attack were also stung after they ran to help her, said Capt. Greg McKeown of the Orange County Fire Authority.

One man received medical treatment, the other did not, he said. The swarm was gone by the time paramedics and firefighters arrived.

"I'm not in the bee profession, but when they feel threatened, they can sting," McKeown said. "It happens." (Ruben Vives , LA Times, 5/21/09.)

BEES TAKE EXCEPTION TO LAWN MOWING ACTIVITIES

CLEBURNE, TX --- According to the buzz at the Cleburne Fire Department, a hive of angry bees swarmed on Wednesday stinging two residents and as many firefighters in the 1000 block of Berry Court.

The sound of a lawn mower operated by a woman apparently stirred up Africanized honey bees who had established a hive in the walls of a storage shed on the woman's property, CFD Chief Clint Ishmael said.

The woman and her mother, who was sitting on the porch, both received stings but were not seriously injured, Ishmael said.

Firefighters wearing full protective clothing moved in to locate the hive, which took a bit longer than expected.

"We pulled the side wall off the shed hoping to find the hive and pull it out," Ishmael said. "But we weren't so lucky and had to cut cavities into the shed to get to the hive."

Firefighters found two sections where the bees had established a hive, which they sprayed with foam to kill the queen and remaining bees.

The busy bees managed to sting two firefighters before all was said and done, Ishmael said.

One firefighter was stung about 75 feet from the shed and received a second sting from a determined bee that followed him as he made a beeline to his truck.

Ishmael said he barely managed to escape being stung.

"I felt them bump me in the back of the head a couple of times and figured it was time to ease on out of there because they were getting aggravated," Ishmael said.

Neither of the firefighters were seriously injured, Ishmael said.

The best way to confirm the bees are Africanized bees is to send them to Texas A&M University for testing, Ishmael said.

Firefighters didn't bother in this case because the foam killed most of the bees, and it's long been confirmed that Africanized bees are in the county.

CFD officials said the department does not usually bother with bee hives.

"If they're not bothering anyone we can't really do anything," said Assistant Chief Keith Scarbrough. "If it's just that people don't like the bees being there, they should call a pest control company."

Most bees do a lot of good and generally won't bother people when buzzing around flowers and hedges collecting pollen, Ishmael said.

"Obviously when a hive begins to cause a problem or begins stinging people we have to go in and get rid of it," Ishmael said.

Despite their aggressive nature, Africanized bees don't fly around looking for people to sting, Scarbrough said.

"But, they're very protective of their homes," Scarbrough said. "You could go sit by a hive of European honey bees and, as long as you don't bother them, they won't bother you. But if you did the same by a hive of Africanized bees, they don't like it."

Both bee breeds have one thing in common, Ishmael said.

"The honey from Africanized bees is just as good as the honey from the European bees," Ishmael said. "Which is too bad, because the honeycomb we pulled out of the shed was all covered with foam." (Matt Smith, Cleburne Times-Review, 5/15/09.)

THOUSANDS OF BEES KILLED IN SAN ANTONIO

SAN ANTONIO, TX ---- A group of men and dogs were stung by thousands of bees from a nearly 30-square-foot hive on Monday but no one had to be hospitalized, city officials said.

The San Antonio Fire Department and the city's Vector Control responded around 4 p.m. after getting a call about the bees at a home.

Domingo Vargas, 18, and Danny Kerns, 28, were working next door on a truck when they noticed the bees swarming around dogs. One dog was cornered in its doghouse and others bolted down the street.

Vargas and Kerns, and several other men they were with, ended up scrambling as well when the bees focused on them. They allowed some dogs to go into their house and made sure the children didn't get outside.

"Everybody got stung at least six or seven times," Kerns said in a story for Monday's online edition of the San Antonio Express-News. "They were all over those dogs."

Officials said the dogs appeared to be fine.

Chris Boubel with Vector Control said usually property owners need to take care of extermination issues on their own but because the bees were attacking people and animals, city officials killed the bees and destroyed the hive.

"Nothing was done (about the hive) and the situation got out of hand," Boubel said. (The Associated Press, 5/4/09.)

MAN ATTACKED BY BEES WORRIES ABOUT ANOTHER STRIKE

DALLAS, TX --- A cluster of bees and a crumbled honey comb are the only remains of a bee attack on Kimbrough Street in White Settlement.

Cecil Campbell said he was stung about 80 times by a swarm of aggressive bees that were living in the walls of an empty house next door.

He said he was mowing his neighbor's backyard as a favor when the rumbling of the mower riled up the hive. The swarm sank their stingers all over Campbell's body and face.

"I fell out in the street, trying to get away from them," he said.

Local pest control crews wiped out what they could, removing ten honeycombs and about 10,000 bees. But Campbell fears that more bees could still be hiding out in the home.

"I'm concerned for the children in the area and we have quite a few elderly," said Campbell. (KTVT-TV 11 News, 5/4/09.)

CITY KILLS THOUSANDS OF BEES

SAN ANTONIO, TX --- Thousands of bees from a nearly 30-square-foot hive at a South Side home swarmed a group of men and dogs, stinging them multiple times Monday afternoon.

The San Antonio Fire Department and the city's Vector Control responded around 4 p.m. to the call for bees in the 200 block of Rosebud Street. As the bees spread, other calls were made from an apartment complex on Pleasanton behind the home with the hive.

No one needed to be hospitalized, and all the dogs appeared to be fine, said Chris Boubel with Vector Control.

Boubel said usually property owners need to take care of extermination issues on their own but because the bees were attacking people and animals city officials destroyed the hive and killed the bees.

"Nothing was done (about the hive) and the situation got out of hand," Boubel said.

Domingo Vargas, 18, and Danny Kerns, 28 were working next door on a truck when they noticed the bees swarming around dogs. One dog was cornered in its doghouse and others bolted down the street.

Vargas and Kerns, and several other men they were with, ended up scrambling as well when the bees focused on them. They allowed some dogs to go into their house and made sure the children didn't get outside.

"Everybody got stung at least six or seven times," Kerns said. "They were all over those dogs."

Cop cars blocked off Rosebud as crews sprayed foam into the yard and Vector Control then cleared the bees.

Vargas and Kerns both said they had seen the bees there before.

"Well usually those bees are just chill, you know?" Vargas said. "They just hang out and don't bother nobody." (Michelle Mondo, San Antonio Express, 5/4/09.)

THOUSANDS OF BEES KILLED IN SAN ANTONIO

SAN ANTONIO, TX - A group of men and dogs were stung by thousands of bees from a nearly 30-square-foot hive on Monday but no one had to be hospitalized, city officials said.

The San Antonio Fire Department and the city's Vector Control responded around 4 p.m. after getting a call about the bees at a home.

Domingo Vargas, 18, and Danny Kerns, 28, were working next door on a truck when they noticed the bees swarming around dogs. One dog was cornered in its doghouse and others bolted down the street.

Vargas and Kerns, and several other men they were with, ended up scrambling as well when the bees focused on them. They allowed some dogs to go into their house and made sure the children didn't get outside.

"Everybody got stung at least six or seven times," Kerns said in a story for Monday's online edition of the San Antonio Express-News. "They were all over those dogs."

Officials said the dogs appeared to be fine.

Chris Boubel with Vector Control said usually property owners need to take care of extermination issues on their own but because the bees were attacking people and animals, city officials killed the bees and destroyed the hive.

"Nothing was done (about the hive) and the situation got out of hand," Boubel said. (The Associated Press, 5/4/09.)

MAN ATTACKED BY BEES WORRIES ABOUT ANOTHER STRIKE

DALLAS, TX --- A cluster of bees and a crumbled honey comb are the only remains of a bee attack on Kimbrough Street in White Settlement.

Cecil Campbell said he was stung about 80 times by a swarm of aggressive bees that were living in the walls of an empty house next door.

He said he was mowing his neighbor's backyard as a favor when the rumbling of the mower riled up the hive. The swarm sank their stingers all over Campbell's body and face.

"I fell out in the street, trying to get away from them," he said.

Local pest control crews wiped out what they could, removing ten honeycombs and about 10,000 bees. But Campbell fears that more bees could still be hiding out in the home.

"I'm concerned for the children in the area and we have quite a few elderly," said Campbell. (KTVT-TV 11 News, 5/4/09.)

CITY KILLS THOUSANDS OF BEES

SAN ANTONIO, TX --- Thousands of bees from a nearly 30-square-foot hive at a South Side home swarmed a group of men and dogs, stinging them multiple times Monday afternoon.

The San Antonio Fire Department and the city's Vector Control responded around 4 p.m. to the call for bees in the 200 block of Rosebud Street. As the bees spread, other calls were made from an apartment complex on Pleasanton behind the home with the hive.

No one needed to be hospitalized, and all the dogs appeared to be fine, said Chris Boubel with Vector Control.

Boubel said usually property owners need to take care of extermination issues on their own but because the bees were attacking people and animals city officials destroyed the hive and killed the bees.

"Nothing was done (about the hive) and the situation got out of hand," Boubel said.

Domingo Vargas, 18, and Danny Kerns, 28 were working next door on a truck when they noticed the bees swarming around dogs. One dog was cornered in its doghouse and others bolted down the street.

Vargas and Kerns, and several other men they were with, ended up scrambling as well when the bees focused on them. They allowed some dogs to go into their house and made sure the children didn't get outside.

"Everybody got stung at least six or seven times," Kerns said. "They were all over those dogs."

Cop cars blocked off Rosebud as crews sprayed foam into the yard and Vector Control then cleared the bees.

Vargas and Kerns both said they had seen the bees there before.

"Well usually those bees are just chill, you know?" Vargas said.

"They just hang out and don't bother nobody." (Michelle Mondo, San Antonio Express, 5/4/09.)

SURPRISE FIREFIGHTERS SAVE FAMILY'S DOGS FROM BEE ATTACK

SURPRISE, AZ --- Surprise firefighters came to the rescue Monday afternoon after a family reported bees were attacking their pets.

When fire officials responded to the home in the 18500 block of West Happy Valley Road at about 5:30 p.m. Monday, they found a large swarm of bees stinging the family dogs, said Kevin Pool, assistant fire chief in Surprise.

Firefighters used foam to snuff out the bees and were able to get the dogs to safety.

They treated a resident for bee stings and took one of the dogs to a local veterinarian, Pool said.

Upon inspecting the family's home, firefighters found a large bee hive inside the wall and ceiling. (Lisa Halverstadt, The Arizona Republic, 4/28/09.)

BEES STING 10 AT BARBECUE

NEW RIVER, AZ --- Bees swarmed a New River family's barbecue Sunday evening, stinging everyone present, include one man who needed medical attention.

The family dog "took the brunt of it," according to Daisy Mountain Fire Chief Dennis Tyrrell.

Fire officials received a report of a bee swarm in the 2200 block of West Estrella Road around 6:30 p.m.

All of the 10 people attending had been stung at least four or five times, Tyrrell said. One man in his 70s, who was taken to an area hospital, received multiple stings, possibly hundreds, leaving him short of breath.

Fire officials had to use c chain saws to cut branches from the tree where the hive was located. They then used foam to dismantle the hive. (The Arizona Republic, 4/28/09.)

BEES ATTACK 15 PEOPLE AT BBQ

NEW RIVER, AZ. --- It sounded like something out of a movie, but in a town called New River, just north of Phoenix, a bee attack was real.

Sunday night about 15 people were attacked by a swarm of bees at a family barbecue.

"Next thing I know the house was full of bees, everybody was just yelling and shutting doors," said Lorrie Festa.

Her husband Lou got stung the worst, they said 600 times. He was rushed to John C. Lincoln Deer Valley Hospital in North Phoenix.

"I knew they were awfully aggressive, they were on the attack," said Don Vogelbacher. "They weren't just swarming around, they were attacking the crowd."

The Daisy Mountain Fire Department had to use chain saws and foam to dismantle the hive. It was located just beneath a tree, buried into the side of a hill.

The family isn't sure what kind of bees attacked them, but they say there were thousands.

Even the family dog was stung.

"She ran out and she was covered with bees," said another family member.

David Vogelbacher said he got stung about six times.

"I kept hearing a bee around me, and then all sudden there were more and more," said Vogelbacher. "Before you know it, we were covered. We were grabbing them out of my hair."

Vogelbacher said he was stung a few days before at a nearby watering hole, but the New River man said he's never seen anything like this before.

Lou Festa is expected to be OK, but his family said the hospital wants to keep him overnight. (Jennifer Parks, KPHO-TV News 5, 4/26.08.)

BEEKEEPERS WARN OF SUMMER THREAT

WICHITA FALLS, TX ---- Local beekeepers warn: Wichita Falls is buzzing with agitated Africanized Honey Bees.

About two weeks ago, a swarm flew up and down Cunningham Drive, terrorizing cyclists and killing a small dog - the second pet killed by bees this year.

Bennie Watson, president of the Red River Valley Beekeepers Association, said the stinging creatures don't necessarily need to be provoked to attack people or pets, and they'll make more appearances as the weather heats up.

"They are dangerous," he said. "Every year, two or three people are killed by those things. You can be stung 100 times in a few short moments. Some survive; some don't."

A defense against the swarms can be tricky - even leaping in a pool of water won't stop their pursuit. A swarm will linger on the surface of a pond or lake, recognizing their victim's need to breathe.

"They'll wait for you to come up for air," Watson said. "They're smart in some ways and dumb in other ways."

Instead of taking cover in the family swimming pool, Watson said it's better to run away into the wind so the bees have a harder time keeping up. Immediately take shelter in a building or car and call the police so the swarm can be captured or killed by professional beekeepers.

"You've got to get away from them as soon as possible," he said. "They just keep on attacking once they start."

Watson added another piece of advice: don't try to swat them away. As soon as hands start flying, bees start stinging.

"Just run; that's the best defense," Watson said. "You can usually run faster into the wind than they can fly into the wind."

Unfortunately, it can be difficult to determine whether or not a swarm is dangerous - Africanized Honey Bees are identical in appearance to native honeybees. They migrated to Texas about four years ago, starting in Argentina and traveling north.

"They haven't gotten any more docile since then," Watson said. "We thought they would disseminate by mating with our bees, but they don't. If they have any of those killer genes in them, they're just as fierce."

County quarantines were set up a few years ago in an attempt to contain the bees as they crossed the southern border, but as soon as they reached North Texas, the quarantines stopped.

"They didn't slow down," Watson said. "They're all over Texas now. I've killed more than 300 swarms in the past four years."

While beekeepers attempt to contain and transport a native swarm before killing it, the Africanized Honey Bees can often be too dangerous to handle.

"They will attack the people trying to capture them," Watson said. "If they attack too fiercely, I go ahead and kill them."

Beekeepers are equipped with special suits, allowing them to handle bees without being stung.

The bees are very territorial, often killing the queen in a native hive and taking it over, he said. Even though honey bees are a protected species after nearly being wiped out in the U.S. in the '90s - it's currently against the law to kill a native honey bee - their Africanized counterparts are often to hard to work with.

"If they're not Africanized, we'll capture them and put them to work," Watson said. "If they are, they're dead. The honey's not worth giving your life." (Amanda Warner, Wichita Falls Times Record News, 4/21/09.)

SWARM OF BEES ATTACK TWO IN LUCERNE VALLEY

LUCERNE VALLEY, CA ---- Two people were hospitalized after being attacked by a swarm of Africanized bees Sunday morning.

According to officials from the San Bernardino County Fire Department, the unnamed victims - a man and a woman in their late 50s to mid 60s - were treated and released from St. Mary Medical Center, after being stung dozens of times each.

The couple keeps honey bees on their property in the 11600 block of Camp Rock Road, and had gone to the location around 9 a.m. to tend to their bee hives, said Tracey Martinez, spokeswoman for the fire department.

There they have a shed, or an apiary, where the bees are kept. But Martinez said a colony of Africanized bees created hives inside and outside the shed, unbeknownst to the owners.

"So when they went to tend to the honey bees they were attacked by aggressive Africanized bees," Martinez said. "The male subject had several stings but the female subject had many more. He was pretty calm and laying on the ground but she was flailing around and the bees were still attacking her when we arrived." (Katherine Rosenberg Staff Writer, The Victorville Daily Press, 4/20/09.)

FLORIDA MAN SURVIVES BEE ATTACK

FORT MYERS, FL ---- A passing motorist may have saved the life of a Fort Myers, Florida man who was being attacked on Saturday by a swarm of bees near his back yard.

The victim says he was just mowing his lawn when he bumped into a hive.

Almost instantly, he says, he was being attacked by thousands of bees protecting their nest.

A passing driver saw the man flailing his arms and falling on the ground and stopped his car to get out and help.

Water from the garden hose scared off most of the bees but not before they stung the unidentified victim hundreds of times.

Experts have since removed the bees, but the homeowner says he's reluctant to return to his back yard. (Stateline News, 4/20/09.)

FORT MYERS MAN STUNG BY HUNDREDS OF BEES

FT MYERS, FL ---- A Fort Myers man was attacked and stung by hundreds of bees Saturday afternoon. He said if it weren't for a complete stranger, he'd probably be dead.

He didn't want us to use his name, but the man who was attacked said he owes his life to a driver who passed by and got out to help.

"They attacked me like a bunch of mad wolves," the man who was stung said.

Hundreds of bees swarmed him while he was in his backyard.

"I was mowing the lawn, and I just bumped into the hive, or whatever you call it, and it just exploded."

The bees flew out and went straight for him.

"I thought I was going to die, because they were like rabid animals."

Luckily for him, a Good Samaritan was in the neighborhood.

"I saw the guy out there swatting around his head and not really ferociously. I thought maybe there was a bug and he was swatting it away, till I saw him drop to the ground, and I thought, there's really something wrong," Michael Mobley said.

That's Mobley got out of his car and ran to help.

"I knew I had to do something, so I grabbed the guy and pulled him closer to the water hose," Mobley said. By then, he was already stung hundreds of times all over his body.

One day later, he was thanking a complete stranger for saving his life.

"If the ambulance didn't come and if the person didn't squirt me with water, I would've died."

The man who helped save him, will never forget what he saw.

"It was amazing. It looked like a shadow around the guy there were so many bees. I thought I was watching the National Geographic Channel or the Discovery Channel because I've never seen anything like that."

When we went to the home Sunday, a man was there working to get rid of the bees, but the homeowner said he's still paranoid to return to his backyard. (Christina Hernandez, WINK News, 4/19/09.)

FIREFIGHTERS FEND OFF THOUSANDS OF KILLER BEES
Bees Form Colony Inside Vacant Home In West Palm Beach

WEST PALM BEACH, FL -- Firefighters had an added challenge while battling a blaze at a vacant West Palm Beach home Wednesday -- they also had to fend off thousands of Africanized killer bees.

Shortly after 11 a.m., the vacant home on Seventh Street erupted in smoke, but it was no ordinary fire.

When firefighters chopped down the front door, thousands of Africanized bees poured out of the still-smoldering house.

"Because the house was vacant and no one paid attention, these bees can form a colony and grow in numbers quickly," said West Palm Beach fire-rescue Chief Phil Webb.

No one was stung, but the fire chief said the bees can pose a serious threat.

"A firefighter or a bystander could literally suffer hundreds, maybe even thousands of stings if they're attacked," Webb said.

Nobody was inside at the time of the fire, and neighbors said the house had been boarded up for years.

The cause of the fire is under investigation. (WPBF-TV 25, 4/15/09.)

BEES SWARM FIREFIGHTERS BATTLING WEST PALM BEACH HOUSE BLAZE

WEST PALM BEACH, FL — As many as 1,000 bees confronted city firefighters this morning after a blaze broke out in an abandoned home west of downtown around 11:30 a.m.

The cause of the fire at 912 7th St. at Tamarind Avenue, is unknown, Fire Chief Phil Webb said.

The bees poured out of the front of the boarded-up two-story building as well as adjacent trees, Webb said. No one was reported stung — "not yet," one supervisor joked.

Firefighter Angel Serrano said bees are attracted to the carbon dioxide in exhalations. But he said headgear and uniforms protected the firefighters.

Firefighters who arrived just after 11:20 a.m. found flames shooting from a second story window, Webb said. He said the fire was quickly brought under control.

Around noon, a firefighter sawed through the front door as others sprayed foam to deter or kill any insects that came out.

There's no immediate word on a cause, Webb said. He said the building had previously caught fire about five months ago. (Eliot Kleinberg, Palm Beach Post, 4/14/09.)

LANDSCAPER STUNG MORE THAN 100 TIMES IN BEE ATTACK

Workers were trimming tree in Irvine neighborhood when they were attacked by swarm, officials say.

IRVINE, CA -– A swarm of bees attacked three landscapers working at an Irvine neighborhood this morning, including one man who was reportedly stung more than 100 times around the face, ears and neck, officials said.

The three landscapers were taken to Western Medical Center in Santa Ana to be treated for multiple stings after bees from a beehive hanging on a tree that was being trimmed, attacked the three men, said Capt. Greg McKeown of the Orange County Fire Authority.

One of the men, who was stung more than 100 times, was in serious condition when he was taken to the hospital, McKeown said. Another one of the landscapers was stung between 25 to 50 times. The third man appeared to have been stung less than 25 times.

Paramedics responded to 24 Hollowglen Street at about 7:30 a.m. By the time that paramedics arrived, the swarm of bees was gone, McKeown said.

The three landscapers were treated by paramedics at the scene, including treatment for the possibility they may be allergic to the bee stings, he said.

"You might not know you are allergic to bee stings until you are stung," he said.

The three men were trimming a tree in the area, and one of them was climbing down when the attack happened, McKeown said.

The man thought he had avoided the hive as he was climbing down, but the bees began to swarm.

"They must have felt threatened," he said.

The man who was climbing down from the tree was stung more than 100 times. The other two men were in moderate condition when they were taken to the hospital. (Salvador Hernandez, The Orange County Register, 4/14/09.)

NEIGHBORS FEAR BEE SWARM IN VACANT PEORIA HOUSE

PEORIA, AZ --- Donna Kafer isn't happy with the newest tenants in the vacant house next to hers. She's scared and wants them to buzz off.

"We've got a lot of trouble with bees in the neighborhood," Kafer said.

Thousands of bees have taken up residence in the dryer vent of a vacant house near Dear Valley Road and 91st Avenue. Last week, the swarm was so big, Kafer called the fire department.

Firefighters came out and sprayed foam on the hive, which Kafer said, "Kind of deterred them a little, but they're back, and they are not happy."

She's concerned the growing hive could be a danger to her pets and children in the area, but she's having trouble getting the bees removed.

The homeowner's association won't step in, claiming it only keeps up common areas, and doesn't have permission to enter the property. Private exterminators can't do anything without the property owner's consent.

She says the property went to auction on the tenth, and is concerned it could take weeks for the situation to be handled---time Kafer spend worried about these troublesome tenants.

"This is an emergent situation. This isn't something to be taken lightly. People die from bee stings," she said. "So it's a hazard." (Eric English, KNXV-TV 15 News, 4/13/09.)

NEIGHBORHOOD TAKES ACTION AGAINST KILLER BEES

LAS VEGAS, NV --- A local man's encounter with a local swarm of bees nearly killed him. But Wednesday night, a woman is unscathed after finding another big swarm right next door to her home.

As we saw a couple of weeks ago, Africanized "killer" bees that call the valley home can do some damage. That's why a local woman called for help as soon as she spotted thousands of bees in her neighbor's yard. News 3's Anita Roman offers some tips regarding how to stay safe if you come across something like this.

The buzz among residents in a quiet Lone Mountain neighborhood is all about the bees - thousands of Africanized "killer" bees that have made all of the residents nervous.

"I came home (Tuesday) afternoon and I saw a big swarm of flying insects. I didn't know what they were," says Chris Pendleton. "About two hours later, a friend knocked on the door and said you need to come out here and look at this."

As News 3 pulled into the neighborhood, we saw a swarm of bees the size of two basketballs.

"It's doubled in size in the last twelve hours," says Sunny Pantaleo.

"My concern is that I can't let the kids play," says John Stinson.

A swarm is different from a hive in the sense that a swarm is typically not aggressive and won't attack. But experts say you still have to take precautions. Expert bee exterminator Rick Grange, owner of Bee King Bee Removal, was called to check out this uncommonly large problem. Before long, he got to work.

"It's a lot easier to get rid of them when they are out in the open," he explains.

Grange has worked with bees for 21 years and says swarms aren't as dangerous as hives because it takes bees a few months to get aggressive. This normally happens after the hive is built and the bees are protecting their domain.

Clark County Vector Control Supervisor Chris Bramley receives several calls per day about bees. His advice is to leave the swarm alone, but it's smarter to get rid of it.

"Eventually, it moves and it becomes somebody else's problem (but) then somebody can get hurt," says Bramley.

It took Grange just under 15 minutes to eliminate the bee problem, much to the relief of the neighborhood. Once he saw the size of the swarm, he volunteered to remove it for free.

A swarm will more than likely move within a few days, but it will start building a hive, which is when they become very dangerous. If you have a bee problem, contact Vector Control at 455-7543. The county will remove bees from private property, but there is a fee for the service. (KVBC-TV News 3, 4/2/09.)

EMERGENCY CALL SURGE SIGNALS START OF BEE SEASON

SUN CITY, AZ ----- Five emergency calls in five hours were enough to prompt fire officials here to put out word that bee season has arrived, and that it could be a busy one after a wet winter.

Bees swarm in the spring as groups break away from overcrowded colonies, often setting up hives in places that bring them in contact with people. That's no small issue with aggressive Africanized honeybees established around Arizona.

"When you run into bees and there's an actual attack, immediately call 911. Do not delay," said Hugh Chase, a public information officer with the Phoenix Fire Department.

Kevin Hodgson, owner of The Beekeeper: Total Bee Control, joined Chase at a news conference last week to show bees and a honeycomb he'd removed that morning from a tree in a woman's front yard. It's been a busy season so far because of winter rain, he said.

"When it rains a lot, there's more pollen and nectar on the plants," he said. "That gives the bees a lot of food, which increases the number of swarms."

Osman Kaftanoglu, project manager of the School of Life Sciences' Honey Bee Research Laboratory at Arizona State University's Polytechnic Campus in Mesa, said all indications point to many swarms this spring.

"It will be a busy bee season, and there will be a lot of swarms this month and next month," Kaftanoglu said. "Due to the winter rains, there are a lot of flowers blooming this time of year." (Steven Falkenhagen, Cronkite News Service, 3/31/09.)

BEE ATTACK VICTIM BEING TREATED IN PHOENIX

LAS VEGAS, NV --- He was attacked by thousands of killer bees last weekend. But Sunday night, he spoke out for the first time. Jeff Moser was initially rushed to the hospital in Las Vegas, but is now being treated at a specialized medical center in Phoenix.

Last Saturday, Moser was working in a yard near Spencer and Warm Springs when he accidentally disturbed a nest of killer bees. Witnesses say they saw him running as a cloud of bees chased him.

When rescuers arrived, Moser was on the ground, literally covered in bees. Fire crews, describing the scene, say it looked like something out of a horror film. Moser says he was more concerned about suffocating than being stung.

"There was so many on me so fast that I just tried to keep them out of my air ways. I covered my mouth, I took off my shirt trying to use that as a way to breathe. And it didn't work because it was just completely covered with bees. So I just put my hands in front of my face and nose and tried to pull the bees out of my mouth and kept my eyes shut. And I just kept saying I've got to keep breathing. And then help showed up."

Moser is now on kidney dialysis as a result of the attack. He's also just now regaining the use of his muscles, walking about 10 steps. He'll remain in Phoenix for at least another week until the venom completely passes through his system. (KVBC-TV 3 News, 3/30/09.)

OFFICIALS: WET WINTER COULD MAKE FOR A BUSY BEE SEASON

PHOENIX, AZ --- Five emergency calls in five hours were enough to prompt fire officials here to put out word that bee season has arrived, and that it could be a busy one after a wet winter.

Bees swarm in the spring as groups break away from overcrowded colonies, often setting up hives in places that bring them in contact with people. That's no small issue with aggressive Africanized honeybees established around Arizona.

"When you run into bees and there's an actual attack, immediately call 911. Do not delay," said Hugh Chase, a public information officer with the Phoenix Fire Department.

Kevin Hodgson, owner of The Beekeeper: Total Bee Control, joined Chase at a news conference this week to show bees and a honeycomb he'd removed that morning from a tree in a woman's front yard. It's been a busy season already because of winter rain, he said.

"When it rains a lot, there's more pollen and nectar on the plants," he said. "That gives the bees a lot of food, which increases the number of swarms."

Osman Kaftanoglu, project manager of the School of Life Sciences Honey Bee Research Laboratory at Arizona State University's Polytechnic Campus in Mesa, said all indications point to many swarms this spring.

"It will be a busy bee season and there will be a lot of swarms this month and next month," Kaftanoglu said. "Due to the winter rains there are a lot of flowers blooming this time of year."

Diana Sammataro, a research entomologist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Carl Hayden Bee Research Center in Tucson, said it's impossible to predict what will happen.

"There's no way of knowing because no one is tracking where swarms come from," Sammataro said. "Bee season depends on how many colonies there are in the winter, the climate and the location."

Africanized honeybees are dangerous to humans and pets because they respond aggressively and in large numbers to perceived threats, a trait that makes them far more dangerous than European honeybees.

The so-called killer bees arrived in southern Arizona in 1993 and since have been found in every county. They are descendants of a variety brought to Brazil from Africa in the 1950s by scientists looking for a better honey producer. The bees bred with the local honeybees and began spreading northward.

Africanized bee attacks can be fatal to people, especially the elderly and those who are allergic to bee stings. Dogs are vulnerable because they often are chained or enclosed by fences and can't get away.

The bees don't go out looking for trouble with people, but confrontations often occur when someone inadvertently disturbs a hive or decides to destroy the bees without professional help.

Those who are attacked should run from the bees or get inside buildings, closing doors behind them. Diving into a pool doesn't help; the bees will wait for a person to surface.

Chase, with the Phoenix Fire Department, said the best protection is taking steps to avoid provoking bees, such as staying on hiking trails and not trying to take a closer look at a bee hive.

"Usually curiosity is the biggest cause of bee attack situations," he said. (Steven Falkenhagen, Tucson Citizen, 3/29/09.)

BEE VICTIM'S FAMILY MAKES A PLEA FOR HELP

LAS VEGAS, NV --- He was brought down by killer bees, and in an interview with News 3's Steve Crupi, the victim's family is sending out a plea for medical help.

Lesli Young is the sister of the bee attack victim. Wednesday night, she appeared with other family friends and relatives outside of St. Rose Siena Hospital to discuss her brother's condition after he inadvertently stirred up nature's fury using heavy equipment to move a boulder.

"The bees did attack. There were too many and he was brought down. He has received aggressive rehydration techniques (and is) currently in critical condition."

Thousands of bees were part of the swarm. Witnesses say the victim's body was covered in a solid mass of bees during the attack. His body has absorbed so much toxin that his family is worried that local doctors aren't sure what to do next.

"If there's any hospital, any clinic, any physician who has dealt with massive 'envenomation' and understands...what it does on the body..."

Lesli Young says her brother was stung at least 2,000 times. She thinks he may have to be transported out of the state if they cannot find an expert to deal with his case. They're hoping someone who can help will contact the hospital.

"We need this help now. He needs this help right now."

A statement released from St. Rose Siena says the patient is intubated and receiving dialysis, and is responding to treatment. But again, they've never had a case like this before. Bee attacks are rare in the valley.

If you leave bees alone, they'll usually leave you alone. But for the past 20 years, more of the aggressive Africanized bees have been moving into the southwestern United States. (KVBC-TV 3 News, 3/27/09.)

KILLER BEE ATTACK SENDS FOUR TO THE HOSPITAL

LA MESA, CA --- A killer bee attack sent four people to the hospital in La Mesa, a suburb east of San Diego, officials said Wednesday.

A 79-year-old woman was stung 30 to 50 times by the insects, also called Africanized bees. Her 82-year-old husband was stung 20 times.

A 36-year-old woman and her 5-year-old son also were stung. All four victims were taken by the La Mesa Fire Department to Sharp Grossmont Hospital. Two other people also were stung.

A Fire Department spokesman said the bees from one hive had migrated to a new location, led by a queen bee. En route to the new location, the bees swarmed their victims.

A fire extinguisher and soapy water were used to "neutralize" the hives in preparation for removal of the hives, their honey and the bees by a professional beekeeper. (Tony Perry, Los Angeles Times, 3/25/09.)

BEE SWARM ATTACKS ELDERLY COUPLE IN SD COUNTY

LA MESA, CALIF. -- Four people were rushed to a hospital after being stung multiple times by a swarm of bees in eastern San Diego County.

La Mesa fire officials say a 79-year-old woman was stung at least 30 times and her 82-year-old husband suffered at least 20 bee stings as they walked in their neighborhood Wednesday afternoon. A woman and her 11-year-old son were also stung about five times each and taken to a hospital.

Their conditions were not immediately known.

Fire spokesman Sonny Saghera says firefighters found a large hive in a roof and called a beekeeper to destroy it. Saghera says the beekeeper believes the honey bees had likely interbred with Africanized killer bees, because they were so aggressive. (AP, 3/25/09.)

AFRICANIZED BEE ATTACK INJURES MAN, PROMPTS STREET SHUTDOWN

Experts Offer Tips to Prevent Bee Attacks

LAS VEGAS, NV --- The 53-year-old man attacked by a swarm of Africanized "Killer" bees on Saturday remains hospitalized at St. Rose Dominican Hospital-Siena Campus. Reports say the man suffered more than 2000 stings--twice as many as first reported--on Saturday.

Witnesses described it as a scene from a horror film when a swarm of bees attacked a man operating a backhoe.

After inadvertently breaking open an underground hive, a 53-year-old man was attacked by a swarm of bees -- so many paramedics said that when they arrived, the man's entire torso was covered by the angry insects.

It happened late Saturday morning when the victim was digging a trench in the backyard of his son's home off Spencer and Eldorado Drive. The man, operating a backhoe, moved a large boulder exposing a giant hive underneath. The man jumped from the backhoe, trying to escape by running into a vacant yard, but was brought down by the stinging horde.

Firefighters encountering the attack were forced to spray the man down with a fire hose to halt the attack. The man was rushed to St. Rose Dominican Hospital-Siena Campus where he was listed in stable condition, but undergoing painful removal of the estimated 1,000 stingers, one-by-one.

Metro shutdown Spencer Avenue between Warm Springs and Robindale and told people in the immediate area to shelter in their homes so they wouldn't come unter attack. Vector Control brought in a bee expert to round up and destroy the swarm.

A Vector Control Officer said he'd never seen such a large hive and estimated its size as well over 50 pounds.

Vector Control also confirmed the bees are the Africanized strain of the insect. Africanized bees are known as Killer Bees because their aggressiveness and ability to attack in swarms.

Africanized bees first came to the Western Hemisphere in the 1950's when a hive escaped and began moving North. (KLAS-TV 8, 3/23/09.)

NEAR FATAL KILLER BEE ATTACK WON'T BE LAST

Near fatal killer bee attack won't be last

LAS VEGAS, NV --- A local man is lucky to be alive after being stung hundreds of times by a swarm of bees. It's the worst attack in recent memory, but it could just be one of many this season.

These were the highly aggressive Africanized Bees, but at this point, we can just call them bees. The Department of Agriculture says that's all that's left. These Africanized bees or "killer bees," are the only kind in Southern Nevada

Brett Ramsey is a bee killer and he knows it's never a one-on-one fight.

"What that stinger does is it lets out a pheromone to the other bees saying, 'sting here,'" he said of the bees' attack.

Saturday, hundreds, even more than a thousand other bees did just that.

"The gentleman was just covered," said Chis Bramely, Brett's partner in the battle against the bees.

He was in middle of the swarm Saturday, head-to-head with the enemy. Literally.

"The colony was disturbed. They start head-butting you. So they start boom-boom-boom," he said, tapping his forehead.
The bees had built their home in an abandoned, over-turned lawn fountain. The hive's been destroyed now, but you can see a few stragglers left behind. They are looking for their queen.

Over the winter, the bees have been busy building hives, often close to the ground. In fuse boxes, water sprinkler covers and building until they are disturbed.

They are finding new room to flourish in, of all places, the recession.

"These foreclosures, are they creating a lot more work for you guys?" we asked.

"It's going to," Brett said. "Because it is a public safety hazard. We have kids that are walking to school. These houses are in all of our neighborhoods."
And he says if you stumble across a hide- just run. But remember : "they will follow you. Even if you were like, in a swimming pool - you jump in? They'll wait for you."

That's one reason the county isn't messing around with these things. A new ordinance says, if you've got a killer bee hive on your property - it must be destroyed. Clark County public works will do it for you and send you the bill.
(KTNV-TV 13 News, 3/23/09.)

TUCSONAN SOUNDED ALARM ON KILLER BEE THREAT IN 1971

TUCSON, AZ --- Based largely on the work of Tucsonan Samuel E. McGregor, in late 1971, the U.S. Department of Agriculture issued a warning against possible importation of the African honeybee.

In 1970, McGregor, an apiculturist who worked at the Federal Bee Research Laboratory Tucson, spent time in Brazil researching the aggressive African species. He reported his findings to the U.S.D.A.

The federal warning reemphasized the ban on importation of honeybees into the United States from anywhere but Canada. It was made to both the amateur and professional apiarists so they would guard against the accidental introduction of the bees.

African bees were considered a threat, both because of their aggressive nature and frequent swarmings and also because of the possibility of exposing native bees to Acarine, a highly contagious bee disease.

Concurring with McGregor, Dr. George Ware, head of the UA Entomology Department, said African bees "could seriously handicap our use of honeybees for pollination of crops."

As a result of McGregor's report, the National Academy of Science was going to send a team of researchers to Brazil to further study the issue and ultimately to make recommendations for future action.

According to the U.S. Agricultural Research Service, by 1990, the first African bees had made their way southern Texas. They were in Arizona in 1993. The service maintains a map, which tracks the bees spread.

Samuel McGregor died in 1980. (Arizona Daily Star, Elaine Raines, 3/23/09.)

THE DO'S AND DON'TS OF DEALING WITH BEES

LAS VEGAS, NV --- They're known as "killer" bees because if they sting you enough times, they can kill you. One Valley man is lucky to be alive after being attacked by hundreds of Africanized bees. He currently remains in the hospital.

Africanized bees are nothing new to the Valley. In fact, they've been around for almost 11 years. The first confirmed case here in Las Vegas was discovered at the Clark County Government Center back in 1998.

"It's like (being) pricked by a needle...pulsating with poison."

Imagine that, but a thousand times worse. It's what a local man endured during an attack by a swarm of Africanized bees last Saturday. Brett Ramsay and several members of the Clark County's Vector Control Department visited the scene again Monday morning.

"That man was very lucky. It was an old water foundation. The front loader (was) lifted up. It exposed the whole hive."

There are a lot of misconceptions when dealing with Africanized bees, otherwise known as "killer" bees.

"If you disturb them, they will come after you. The only thing you can do is run away, swat them away," explains Ramsay.

The bees can even be found hiding underground, so it's important to call an expert before you dig. Another don't: jumping into a pool or any other body of water.

"Do not stand still. Get away from the area, don't flail, get in your car and close the window. If you jump, they're just going to sting you. Water is not an answer."

And if you do find a bees' nest, immediately call an exterminator.

"Don't deal with them yourself," says Ramsay.

Clark County Vector Control does not handle cases on private property unless they have been contacted by the police or the situation involves a foreclosed home. Call a reputable exterminator if you have a situation involving bees and need assistance. (Maria Silva, KVBC-TV 3, 3/23/09.)

EXPERTS OFFER TIPS TO PREVENT BEE ATTACKS

LAS VEGAS, NV --- A local man is recovering in the hospital after a massive bee attack. It happened on Saturday while he was cleaning up a vacant lot. The man accidentally disturbed a hive and was stung nearly 1,000 times.

Bee experts say it's too early in the season for attacks. Even though most of the hive has been destroyed, some of the surviving bees are Africanized bees and are known to be very aggressive.

"I've actually been at a job where I've been stung in a suit. I hopped in my truck and I had to drive down the road in order to get them all off," said Brett Ramsay with Clark County Vector Control.

Ramsey's job is to destroy dangerous bees and their hives. He says the entire population of bees in Clark County has now been Africanized. That means the bees are very aggressive, they attack in swarms, and have been known to follow their victims a quarter of a mile.

However, Ramsey says they won't attack as a swarm unless you disturb their hive, and that's what happened on Saturday.

Vector Control Supervisor Chris Bramley says you should keep an eye out for hives in the ground around your home when you are cleaning up this spring, "If you're trying to clean up a lot like this, spend time to look at all the piles and make sure there are no bee activities."

Africanized bees make their nests in the ground. Bramley says do not try to destroy a nest on your own. Using bug spray like Raid or hosing them off with water will only aggravate them even more. Let the experts handle it.

It's about $200 for some pest companies to destroy an Africanized bee hive, but it's safer for you and your family than doing it yourself.

If it's a private condemned property, call Clark County Vector Control. They'll come and destroy it. Their number is 455-7543 (KLAS-TV 8, 3/23/09.)

ENNIS POLICE ATTACKED BY BEES WHILE TENDING TO ACCIDENT

ENNIS, TX --- Looks like bees don't like to wait in traffic either.

Some Ennis police officers responding to a traffic accident last week had to fight their way through thousands of bees to get the job done.

According to the Waxahachie Daily Light, the accident that stopped traffic unfortunately stopped a truck carrying bees. As emergency personnel tried to help the accident victims, the bees buzzed out of their truck and began to sting.

One officer who is allergic to bee stings had to remain in the squad car. ( Dan McGraw, Dallas Morning News, 3/23/09.)

MAN REMAINS HOSPITALIZED AFTER KILLER BEE ATTACK

LAS VEGAS, NV --- A 53-year-old man remains in the intensive care unit at Saint Rose Dominican Hospital-Siena Campus after being attacked by a killer bees.

A hospital spokeswoman now says he may have been stung "a couple thousand" times, which is twice as much as originally thought.

He is listed in stable condition, but his name hasn't been released as of Sunday evening.

The Clark County Fire Department compares the attack to a scene out of a movie.

The man was left helpless and gasping for air after getting attacked by a swarm of killer bees.

It happened, near Warm Springs and Spencer, on Saturday afternoon.

A fire department spokesperson tells us the man, in his 50s, was doing yardwork for a friend. He was working on a backhoe, when a rock was overturned, and the nest apparently became aggravated

We're told the man was stung up to 1,000 times on his arms, face and torso.

"The back of this gentleman was literally covered in hundreds and hundreds of bees. They found him on all fours, and he just couldn't run anywhere. He was down on all fours continually getting stung by all the bees," said Scott Allison, Clark County Fire Department spokesman.

Firefighters say the man wasn't wearing a shirt, and they still couldn't see his body because he was completely covered.

Vector control assisted fire crews with the situation, and one worker says it was the biggest hive he's ever seen.

Fire crews fought off the bees with water.

"When they started spraying the bees with the hose, that knocked them off. They were able to get him off the ground and put him in the gurney," added Allison.

Witnesses saw the attack unravel, but there wasn't much they could do.

"I couldn't do nothing about it. It's helpless. There was no water around. It was really surprising," said Laura Webb, who pulled over on the side of the road.

The 53-year-old man was stabilized after he was given benadryl and put on an IV.

We are told he is experiencing a lot of pain because medics are removing each stinger with a pair of tweezers.

A second man was also working in the vicinity where this happened, but he was reportedly only stung a couple of times.

Africanized 'killer' bees are believed to have moved up from Mexico and have been in the valley for years.

The Clark County Fire Department says running away from bees or jumping in a pool is a bad idea because they will likely follow.

Instead, they say you should try to get inside a structure and close the doors behind you.

While not native to the U.S., killer bees are well established in southern Nevada.

In 2000, a 77-year-old Las Vegas woman was stung about 500 times and survived. In 2003, a horse in Pahrump was killed after being attacked.

Scott Allison, with CCFD says he has been with the department for 20 years and can't recall such a bad attack around Las Vegas. (KTNV-TV 13 News, 3/21/09.)

LARGE BEE HIVES BECOME NEIGHBORHOOD PROBLEM
Big bee hive at Davie home shows need to be a buzz kill

FT LAUDERDALE, FL --- If you're afraid of bees, Jeanie and Melvin

Gordon's story will bug you.

A few months ago, the retired Davie couple noticed an annoying handful of bees buzzing around their back yard. Earlier this month, the annoyance had grown to become large swarms and an incessant buzzing sound inside the house at night. The reason: Tens of thousands of bees had taken up residence inside a wall of their small home.

"My wife is in poor health, she is diabetic. And I am very worried about what could happen if she got stung," Melvin Gordon said. "I am scared of bees."

The Gordons sought help from police when they saw an officer in the neighborhood. Davie police called the owner of a bee removal service, which did the job free of charge.

"It was the right thing to do," said William Sklaroff, owner of South Florida-based company Willie the Bee Man. "But I'll tell you, I did not expect to find that many bees. The hive must have had between 30,000 to 50,000 bees."

Sklaroff and his crew had to remove portions of an interior wall and the roof to locate the hive. About five layers of honeycomb - hanging between two wood beams and a large piece of sheet rock - were removed with the bees.

"Fixing the holes is no big deal compared to having those bees living in my house," said Melvin Gordon.

While the hive and the job were unusual for their size, Sklaroff said it is common for bees to move into a building or home. He said his company handles about 2,000 bee removal cases a year in Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties alone.

Anyone who has been around a large, active hive knows it can be a problem. The Gordons' bees stung Sklaroff, a neighbor, a police officer and a dog.

The Gordon story offers important lessons about what to do - and not to do - if you find yourself in a similar situation. It's also a timely tale: The bee swarming season in South Florida lasts from March to November.

Here is what you should know if you come across a hive in your home:

Remove troublesome hives. Do not ignore them. Most will continue to grow in size. The Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services recommends killing the hive rather than attempting to save it because there are plenty of bee populations, and there are no longer any pure honeybees in Florida. Many are Africanized, which means they tend to be aggressive and dangerous.

Pay a professional. Removing a hive on your own might be dangerous. Depending on the size of the hive and where it is, the job could start at $300. The average bill for Willie the Bee Man is $495. Where to find a bee professional: State officials recommend that all wild honey bee colonies found near people be eradicated by a certified Pest Control Operator. To find one, see the University of
Florida's IFAS Extension Web site at entnemdept.ifas.ufl.edu/afbee and click "Bee Removal," or call 352-392-1901, extension 189.

Prevent nesting. Screen off holes around your home by stapling or attaching 1/16-inch hardware cloth or standard insect screen over them. This method is best for restricting access to holes in trees, where bees like to make hives, and for closing vents, drains, downspouts, or other plumbing as the screen allows air and water to pass through while stopping bees from entering. Use 100 percent silicone caulking to seal cracks, crevices, or other voids 1/8th of an inch or greater. Also, latex concrete-crack filler can be used to seal cracks and crevices in cinderblock or concrete surfaces.

Never wave your arms at a bee. The movement may agitate the bee and may attract the attention of other bees.

When stung, remove the stinger by scraping it with the edge of an object like a credit card. Do not pull on the stinger, as that might release poison from the stinger.

Most people do not know whether they are allergic to bees until they are stung. Consult a doctor if after being stung you notice excessive pain and swelling, difficulty breathing, vomiting or diarrhea. Talk to your doctor about whether you may need epipen in your home medical kit.

"I am relieved," said Melvin Gordon when he saw the last of the bee hive being taken from inside his home. "Are you sure you got them all?"

It's also termite swarming season in South Florida. Here are ways to keep them at bay, too:

Clean and repair gutters, and ensure downspouts direct moisture away from the home. Clogs and drainage problems can allow water to accumulate near the home's foundation, serving as a source of moisture for termites.

Fix roof or plumbing leaks. Even small water problems can be enough to support a termite colony. Whether a leaky sink or roof, these sources of water can allow termites to live above ground and in your home.

Eliminate all wood-to-soil contact around foundation of the home. Stacked firewood and other debris can serve as a conduit for termites. Store these items away from the home and off the ground. Prevent mulch from piling up against the home's exterior. (Daniel Vasquez, South Florida Sun-Sentinel, 3/23/09.)

VALLEY MAN STUNG HUNDREDS OF TIMES BY 'KILLER BEES'

LAS VEGAS, NV --- A 53-year-old man was stung hundreds of times by "killer bees" this afternoon after he disturbed a nest while operating a backhoe.

Authorities said the attack was like nothing they've seen before.

"My crews told me it was like something right out of a movie," Clark County Fire Department spokesman Scott Allison said. "They've never seen anything like it in all their careers."

The man, whose name was not released, was found in an empty desert lot next to the backyard where he had been working. Firefighters found him on all fours, shaking and covered in bees.

Allison said he wasn't wearing a shirt and had so many bees on his back that his skin wasn't visible.

Firefighters used a hose to remove the bees from the man and he was taken to St. Rose Dominican Hospital, Siena campus. He had trouble breathing when paramedics got to him, but he was given Benadryl and an IV and is expected to be fine, Allison said.

He was stung between 250 and 1,000 times on his face, arms and torso, Allison said. Hospital staff are working on removing the stingers, he said.

The man was working in a friend's backyard on Spencer Street just north of Eldorado Lane, near Warm Springs Road, when he overturned a rock with a backhoe, exposing the nest of bees.

They began attacking the man, and he jumped off the backhoe and ran to the lot, Allison said. Another man he was working with, who was also stung several times, called 911.
County workers and a private bee removal specialist were called to handle the bees.

Allison said firefighters have responded to bee attacks before but had not encountered one so vicious.

"I don't remember in all my years someone being attacked like this," he said.

The Africanized honey bee, also known as "killer bees," are more aggressive and more temperamental than European honey bees.

They are believed to have moved into the Las Vegas valley around 1998 and now nearly every bee in the valley is believed to be Africanized.

Deaths by such bees are rare for humans, although in 1998 a rottweiler left on a leash in a backyard was killed by bees; in 2003, a horse in Pahrump also fell victim to an angry swarm.

In 2000, a 77-year-old Las Vegas woman was stung 500 times and survived.

Allison said running away from bees or jumping into a pool are bad ideas; they'll chase you and, if you're in a pool, they'll wait for you to surface.

Instead, he said people should run into a structure, closing doors behind them.

Anybody who encounters a nest of bees should call authorities or a bee removal specialist. (Lawrence Mower, Las Vegas Review-Journal, 3/21/09.)

BEES SMOTHER CAR, SWARM SEASON BEGINS

HIGHLAND PARK, FL --- No doubt, it was a fascinating find.

"Oh my gosh! That's crazy," commented Andy Thompson, after what he saw.

The IT professional grabbed his HD video camera when he heard his car was smothered in bees.

"Turned out it wasn't my car," he added. "It was somebody else's and this is what we saw."

Video he captured shows thousands of bees stuck to the trunk and brake light of a Volkswagen sedan.

It's a spring sight in Highland Park - turns out, not all that rare.

"This is our busiest time of the season," said Harold Wright, owner of Bee Safe Pest Control.

Swarm season is starting.

"All these thousands of bee hives that are out there, half of the bees from each colony, like 10,000 from each colony, are taking off looking for a new home," he explained.

Just as we started to get down to the business of bees with our video camera positioned just right… "Uh-oh. Let's go!," Wright said swatting at his face.

"When they start buzzing like that it means they're going to sting soon. OK?," he said, walking away quickly.

One of the bees got photographer Ryan Oliveira the moment he stopped recording.

"People are scared of bees 'cause they do sting, like the cameraman just got stung," Wright said laughing apologetically. "Sorry dude."

It's amusing now.

Not so much at the time.

So what attracted the bees to the car? Turns out, nothing. As bees swarm around looking for a new home, the queen gets tired, experts say, and needs a place to rest, which is what she did with her worker bees on that black Volkswagen.

"Really?," Thompson said upon learning why he filmed what he did. "That is too weird. We thought somebody spilled Coke on the car."

It was nothing more than a brief rest stop.

Which Andy managed to capture without so much as a sting. (Jason Whitely, WFAA-TV, 3/20/09.)

DEATH FROM BEE STINGS PROMPTS WARNING TO RESIDENTS

FT LAUDERDALE, FL ---- Bees from a hive that killed two dogs over the weekend may be lingering in Broadview Park, prompting residents to be wary of the aggressive insects.

"I'm not a worry wart, but I'll be looking around," said longtime resident Dolores Clawson, 79.

The two dogs - a pit bull and an American bulldog, according to neighbor Dragan Bukur - died in the 4500 block of Southwest 24th Street in unincorporated Broward County Click here for restaurant inspection reports near Davie. Their deaths raised to 20 the number of bee-related dog deaths reported statewide since 2003, the Florida Department of Agriculture said.

Saturday's attack was South Florida's second significant bee infestation in as many weeks. On Thursday an exterminator removed an estimated 30,000 bees that had been buzzing inside the walls of a couple's home on Southwest Sixth Court in Davie.

The owner of the deceased dogs lived in the home infested with bees. She couldn't be reached for comment despite a visit to her home Monday.

Bukur, 49, recalled trying to save the bulldog Saturday evening as it ran down the street under attack by the bees. He was discouraged when they stung his head, neck and torso six times.

"It's very scary to have bees that are that aggressive," he said. "I have never had bees chase me that far."

Bukur tried to find the dogs' owner the same night, but she was at work, he said. He didn't reach her until Sunday afternoon, he said, and Bukur's wife phoned exterminator Willie Sklaroff.

The hive, nestled inside drywall in the home, had about 60,000 bees and many queen-bee cells, Sklaroff said. He used a hacksaw to remove it.

He collected a bee sample for the lab tests that state agriculture officials recommend, but he said he lost it. Whether the bees were docile honeybees or the aggressive Africanized variety remains a mystery, he said.

The cost of removing bees ranges from $200 to $1,300, Sklaroff said. He said he didn't charge the homeowner who lost the dogs because she couldn't afford the service. Jerry Hayes, with the state Agriculture Department, cautioned against allowing bees to remain near homes.

"Make it a priority to get an exterminator," Hayes said. "You're risking your own safety to allow these things to exist."(Juan Ortega and Sallie James, South Florida Sun Sentinel, 3/17/09.)

NEIGHBORHOOD ON ALERT AFTER BEE ATTACKS

BROADVIEW PARK, FL -- Dog owners in a South Florida park say they are on alert for stragglers from a bee hive responsible for the stinging deaths of two canines last week.

The hive was removed from a home in Broadview Park, Fla., after two dogs were died but residents of the neighborhood remained watchful in case any of the insects were still buzzing around.

"I'm not a worry wart but I'll be looking around," longtime resident Dolores Clawson told the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.

The newspaper said Tuesday the massive hive found between the walls of the house was a whopper. It was home to an estimated 60,000 bees and included several queen cells. Only about half of the bees were accounted for when exterminators hack-sawed it out of the house.

Florida agriculture officials said it wasn't known if the bees were honey bees or more-aggressive Africanized bees.(UPI, 3/17/09.)

BEE ATTACK BLAMED FOR THE DEATH OF TWO DOGS

FORT LAUDERDALE, FL --- A massive hive containing 60 thousand bees was removed from a Ft. Lauderdale home.

An attack by thousands of bees is being blamed for the deaths of two dogs in one Ft. Lauderdale neighborhood.

A local pest control was called to exterminate a massive hive next to a home in the 45 hundred block of SW 24th Street. William A Sklaroff, better known as 'Willie the Bee Man', said he estimated there were more than 60 thousand bees residing in the hive. He added that he couldn't tell whether they were Africanized bees without proper testing.

Alina Alvarez, who lives in the home next to where the hive was found, said when the bees attacked her two dogs a man ran to their rescue but couldn't save them.

"I feel very badly for everybody," said Alvarez. "I feel very sorry. I've lost two dogs and my neighbors have been bit. I really feel bad about the whole situation."

Alvarez said no one in her family was seriously hurt by the bees and she's glad they are finally gone.(John MacLauchlan, CBS-TV News 4, 3/16/09.)

BEE' AWARE: PRECAUTIONS TAKE STING OUT OF ENCOUNTERS

YUMA, AZ --- A routine home improvement projects got complicated last month when the people Diane Jackson had repairing the roof of her backyard shed got attacked by bees.

"The noise and hammering and pounding (the workers were doing) disturbed them," the Foothills resident said, and bees stung at least one of the workers.

Jackson called out an exterminator, who found a hive in an open area beneath the shed and sprayed the area, killing the bees.

Bees will become more prominent in the weeks ahead as temperatures creep up and wildflowers bloom around the Yuma area, said Stacey Bealmear, an urban horticulturist for the University of Arizona Cooperative Extension in Yuma. But, she said, frightening encounters of the kind at Jackson's home do not have to be the norm, if people take some precautions.

Bees like to build their hives in such places as open areas beneath sheds and homes, holes in walls and in open pipes, she said, so residents should seal off the openings to keep the bees away.

Residents who see bee swarms on their property for the first time should not overreact, Bealmear said. It may be that the swarm is on its way elsewhere.

"Let them be, see what they'll do, and sometimes they'll go on their merry way. Sometimes they'll go on their merry way into your wall, so that's why it's a good idea to keep an eye on what they're doing."

Reputation notwithstanding, bees usually aren't aggressive, Bealmear said. It's when they think their colony or hive is being threatened that they'll attack.

In the case of the attack at Jackson's shed, it could have been the noise and the vibration of the work that was the trigger for the hive below, she said.

Property owners should not try to remove hives on their own, said Craig Pemberton, office manager for Desert Web Exterminating.

"Figure out where (the hive) is, but don't go near it," he said. " If you get near one and disturb it, the whole hive will come after you, and that's where it can get deadly, especially if you have an allergic reaction."

Jackson called out Desert Web to spray the hive.

Afterward, when Jackson pulled up the shed floor to remove the hive, she found "thousands" of dead bees she now believes had been under the shed for a year or more.

If you call out an exterminator to spray bees, you will need to remove the hive, Bealmear said, particularly if it's located somewhere around the house. Otherwise, any residual honey could attract ants or rodents.

Bealmear said her preference is to call a professional beekeeper who can remove and transplant the hive to a safe place where the bees can continue to make honey and pollinate plants.

"With the reduction in the overall bee population, the more that can be moved out of the home to a hive, the better." (John Vaughn, The Yuma Sun, 3/8/09.)

BEES FORCE ALLERGIC WOMAN TO ABANDON TEXAS HOME

KATY, TX - A woman allergic to bees had to abandoned her Houston-area home after the buzzing insects were found crawling in her 8-year-old daughter's bed a few days ago. The Houston Chronicle reported Saturday that a hive beneath the floorboards is so big that the floor rattles. Bees are also in the interior walls.

Tangela Perkins said she's hired three different exterminators, including spending $1,000 in January to kill the bees, but the insects keep returning.

Perkins said she's had problems with bees at her house for about five years. Experts said the scent of previous bees attracts new ones.

Her homeowners association sent letters asking Perkins to get rid of the bees. (Associated Press, 3/2/09.)

FAMILY CHASED OUT OF HOME BY BEES

KATY, TX -- Bees in the walls, the floors and the yard -- a family in Katy has a pesky and dangerous problem that won't seem to go away. They've spent years fighting off the bees, but they just keep coming back.

The family has been dealing with this problem for five years and now it's to the point that they have been run out their home.

Walking through the front door of the home on Pleasant Stream Drive in Katy and saying, 'Honey, I'm home!' would actually be a cruel joke.

"I don't worry about it," said resident Andy Ackley. "I just go out the back door."

Just last night Ackley used a red tile scraper to scratch off honeycombs from the front porch ceiling. Honey bees have set up camp at this home five years ago and they haven't left yet. Three treatments and more than $2,000 later, they are still stinging.

"(I've been stung) several times," Ackley said. "Mowing the yard, walking out the door, yelling& Any noise, they don't like it."

The infestation is so concentrated it has now become a problem for other neighbors, who've been stung walking to the mailbox. Kids have been ordered to only play in the back yard and pretty soon animals will also have to avoid the area.

"There was a bird out here stung to death -- a blue jay, stung to death," said neighbor Karen Evans.

The bees have actually chased Ackley, his girlfriend and her three kids out of the house.

Evans said, "They managed to get in there last night during the night and get some of their possessions and they have been staying with me."

With peak season approaching exterminators' fingers are getting sticky. Just last week they removed a 40-pound honeycomb.

Ricky Jones with All Bugs and Bees explained, "That queen pheromone is soaked into the honey and honeycomb. So if you don't remove the honey and honeycomb, in one to three years the next swarm that flies by will just moving and pick up where the other ones left off. "

In the meantime Ackley is only using the back door, as a recent exterminator set them back a bit.

"The last time was $1,000," he recalled.

The bee expert we talked to says homeowners need to make sure the exterminator completely removes the honey and honeycomb. Once that is done, seal any openings on the exterior of your home through which the bees might have entered.

As for the Katy family, they tell me right now they have run out of money to spend and contacted their insurance company about the issue, but we're told it's not covered. So on days when the bees are really swarming, they still stay at a neighbor's house. ((KTRK-TV/DT, 3/2/09.)

AFRICANIZED HONEY BEES ABUZZ IN SOUTH FLORIDA YARDS

PALM BEACH, FL --- Africanized honey bees are rather common in South Florida, so those working outdoors should heed a few recommendations to remain safe.

The bees were imported to Brazil in the 1950s for testing because of their adaptation to tropical conditions. They have since migrated throughout much of South, Central and North America. These bees guard their hives more aggressively and pursue intruders much further than their European counterparts.

Laborers and residents working in their yards should be aware of the presence of Africanized honey bees, and this awareness should encourage healthy respect and caution around all stinging insects.

At the same time, everyone should be aware of the importance of honey bees nationwide.

One characteristic of the Africanized honey bee is its ability to nest nearly anywhere. Outdoor workers have a greater likelihood of encountering wild colonies of these bees. Figures suggest that in areas where African bees saturate the feral environment, there may be 100 to 200 colonies per square mile.

Any outdoor worker should be aware of his or her outdoor surroundings at all times and inspect any area before entering, especially if the area is not frequented by humans.

If attacked, run away with your face covered and get inside a car or building. Call a licensed pest-control company to remove the hive; don't attempt to remove it yourself.

Here are things to keep in mind as you inspect your surroundings:

* Watch for bees flying fast and straight into and out of any object or area. This behavior is an indication that a colony is nearby.

* Africanized honey bees will nest in the ground, in burrows, meter boxes, irrigation valve boxes and electrical boxes. Approach with caution if servicing any of these areas.

* African bees will use any protected location or void to house their colony. Any place where you have seen a paper wasp nest could house a bee colony.

Common nesting locations include:

* Eaves and soffits under roofs.
* Water meter and electrical boxes.
* Manholes.
* Gutter down-spouts.
* Abandoned vehicles and appliances.
* Empty containers and flower pots.
* Lumber piles.
* Utility infrastructure, such as power and light poles.
* Old tires
* Garages, shed and other outbuildings.
* Chimneys and attics.
* Bird nesting boxes.
* Hollow trees and exposed tree branches.
* Playground equipment.

Bees visiting flowers are not a threat and do not indicate a nearby colony. (Keith Patton, Palm Beach Daily News, 2/27/09.)

HORSE IN BEE ATTACK RIDING HIGH
Ranks in top 5 at show

HEREFORD, AZ - Some of you may remember the story of a young Arabian stallion who was nearly killed by a swarm of Africanized killer bees a few months ago.

After receiving hundreds of painful bee stings, the colt was rushed to a veterinary hospital in Sonoita where veterinarian J Phelps treated him. Along with the help of quick thinking neighbors, Phelps is credited by the horse's owner, Cynthia Chestnutt, for saving his life.

Thankfully, that incident is past history.

The horse, whose name is Alex, just returned from the prestigious Scottsdale Arabian Horse Show, where he placed top five in his halter class.

"I'm just thrilled," said an elated Chestnutt, who has been working with Alex to get him ready for the show.

Chestnutt showed him herself, rather than hiring a professional, which many owners opt to do.

"I really didn't expect him to win," she said. "He is a 2-year old competing against the more mature 3- and 4-year-olds, so I'm very happy with top five."

Chestnutt said she was amazed by how calmly Alex handled the horse show environment, especially considering his young age and the amount of activity.

"We saw all sorts of scary things, like golf carts, bicycles, quads, Arabian horses in native costumes, mini horses and high stepping English pleasure horses. There was even a giant jumping balloon with a slide on youth night. Lots of things for a young horse to look at, but none of it was as scary as that bee attack."

Perhaps that's the upside to the attack, Chestnutt added. "After going through that, nothing much seems to frighten him."

Alex's next big show will be the Sport Horse Nationals. He'll be heading for Kentucky in September for that event.

"We actually had several people run us down and ask us about him, which was a first for me in almost 15 years of showing," Chestnutt said. "People really liked him. They were telling us he is definitely nationals quality."

The entire show experience was a thrill, Chestnutt said.

Chestnutt believes the show was a tremendous way to start Alex's show career, "especially for a horse who almost didn't make it at all."

People were amazed when they heard about the bee attack, too.

"They couldn't believe this is the same horse," Chestnutt said. "To me, it's a real tribute to the dispositions of Arabian horses. They are smart, loving and understanding animals."

Alex's registered name is "AM O Alexander Style." His sire, or father, is "Bremervale Adronicus," an Australian import who has several U.S. Nationals wins. The dam, or mother, is "AM Stylish Steed," also a top 10 U.S. Nationals winner.

Sponsored by the Arabian Horse Association of Arizona, Scottsdale Arabian Horse Show got its start in 1955, and is one of the most anticipated horse shows, the one that sets the pace in the world of Arabian horse showing. Every year it attracts more than 2,500 horses, along with top owners, trainers and breeders.

When it first started, the show had 50 horses and was held on the grounds of the Arizona Biltmore Hotel, considered a beautiful setting for a horse show. From there it moved to a horse facility known as Paradise Park, which proved an excellent site for several years. Since that time, the show has been moved to WestWorld in Scottsdale, a sprawling grounds with a huge barn area, indoor arena, outdoor arenas and several warm-up rings.

The 2009 show started on Feb. 12 and will end on Sunday. (Dana Cole, The Sierra Vista Herald, 2/20/09.)

AFRICANIZED BEES MOVE CLOSER TO IDAHO

BOISE, IDAHO --- Aggressive Africanized honey bee's have made their way into Utah, but Mike Cooper from the Idaho Department of Agriculture says you needn't worry about them reaching Idaho.

Cooper says it's possible some of the bee's could be carried into Idaho on construction equipment or hitchhike with commercial bee keepers, but the bee's are unlikely to last through Idaho's long winters.

The bees are more aggressive than the European honey bees and swarm more often. (KBOI Radio 670, 2/13/09.)

KILLER BEES REACH BEEHIVE STATE

ST. GEORGE, UT ---- They have arrived and they are mean and unwanted.

State officials said Wednesday the aggressive Africanized honey bees have been found in Washington and Kane counties, which confirms for the first time a Utah presence.

Larry Lewis, a spokesman with the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food, said crews recently found bees inside seven of 80 traps the agency has monitored since 1994.

Three of the hives containing bees were in the wild in Washington County, and four of the hives were managed by private beekeepers, including two in Washington County and two in Kane County.

Each hive was destroyed.

Since the Africanized bees were found in 1999 in Mesquite, Nev., 40 miles south of St. George, officials have worked with Washington County officials to prepare for the migration.

The county, Southwest Utah Health Department and St. George will work with state officials on educating the public about the dangers of the bees' aggressive nature.

Aside from children and the elderly, the state's biggest concern is for farmers who could agitate the stinging insects in their hives.

Bee attacks are known to have killed humans and animals, but no one in Utah is believed to have been attacked by the bees, whose range is usually limited to warmer climates.

St. George Fire Chief Robert Stoker said his department has special equipment and procedures to handle bees that include placing the hives in plastic garbage bags and spraying attacking bees with firefighting foam to suffocate the insects.

Danielle Downey, a state entomologist, said the Africanized bee was introduced to Brazil in 1956 and has since spread north and south. The bees are most aggressive when their hives are threatened.

Beekeeper Mel Taylor said the bees provide important pollination of flowers and crops in areas lacking people or commercial beekeepers, but should be avoided.

"You don't mess with them, and they won't mess with you," Taylor said. (Mark Havnes, The Salt Lake Tribune, 2/11/09.)

AFRICAN HONEYBEES FOUND ACROSS SOUTH FLORIDA

FORT LAUDERDALE, FL -- Just seven years after first being spotted in the Tampa area, African honeybees have established themselves across South Florida.

Experts estimate up to 80 percent of wild bee colonies in the region are now hybridized with the aggressive strain.

Last April, Florida recorded its first death caused by Africanized bees when a Fort Lauderdale man was stung more than 100 times while working in Okeechobee County.

University of Florida entomologist Bill Kern says despite a state recommendation that all feral bee colonies bee destroyed, the Africanized bee is here to stay. That's because colonies of up to 1,000 bees can move into nearly any dark space, from a hole in the ground to a cable box aside a house. (AP, 2/9/09.)

AUTHORITIES BRACE FOR BEE ATTACKS

ORLANDO, FL --- African honeybees have established themselves across South Florida.

Seven years ago they were spotted in the Tampa area, and four years ago they reached Orange County. Experts estimate up to 80 percent of wild bee colonies in the region are now hybridized with the aggressive strain.

Last April, Florida recorded its first death caused by Africanized bees when a Fort Lauderdale man was stung more than 100 times while working in Okeechobee County.

University of Florida entomologist Bill Kern says despite a state recommendation that all feral bee colonies bee destroyed, the Africanized bee is here to stay. That's because colonies of up to 1,000 bees can move into nearly any dark space, from a hole in the ground to a cable box aside a house. (Dave Wahl, WDBO-TV Local News, 2/9/09.)

COLONIES OF FERAL AFRICANIZED BEES SPREAD THROUGHOUT FLORIDA

TAMPA, FL --- Just seven years after they were first spotted in the Tampa area, African honeybees have become well-established throughout South Florida. Experts estimate that up to 80 percent of all wild bee colonies in our area are now hybridized with this aggressive, often-irritable strain.

Africanized bee colonies reproduce more rapidly than European bees, which are kept commercially for honey and pollination. Africanized bees are frequently on the prowl for new homes in which to build honeycombs.

Sometimes those homes are occupied by people who haven't heard the buzz. And that can be dangerous.

Walking her dogs in Riviera Beach, Nancy Hill had no warning before she and her pets were swarmed by bees nesting in a vacant house next door. The dogs were killed in the October attack, and Hill, 70, was rushed to the hospital with 75 bee stings.

In April, Florida recorded its first death caused by Africanized bees. Former Fort Lauderdale resident Robert Davis, 51, died after he was stung more than 100 times while working in Okeechobee County..

While the state Department of Agriculture recommends all feral bee colonies be destroyed, the Africanized bee is here to stay, said Bill Kern, an urban entomologist with the University of Florida's research center in Davie.

Africanized bees in colonies of up to 1,000 can move into almost any dark space, including a hole in the ground or a cable box on the side of a house. They are easily riled. "Something as simple as a squirrel running across the branch nearby - that can set them off," said Kern.

Kern teaches emergency workers and those who work outside what to do if swarmed by bees. Rule No. 1, said Kern: "Run and get into a structure or vehicle. Don't jump into water; they'll wait for you to come up." (Mike Clary, South Florida Sun-Sentinel, 2/8/09.)

AGGRESSIVE AFRICAN BEES DOMINATING IN FLORIDA.

TAMPA, FL --- Up to 80 percent of the wild bee population of South Florida has been hybridized by an aggressive African bee strain, experts say.

Experts said since the first reported sighting of African bees in Tampa, Fla., seven years ago, the insects have been slowly invading domestic bee colonies and reproducing at an alarming rate, the South Florida Sun-Sentinel reported Sunday.

The increase of Africanized bees in the area has resulted in multiple bee attacks, including one last April in Okeechobee County in which Robert Davis, 51, died after being stung more than 100 times by the hybrid bees.

In October, 70-year-old Nancy Hill of Riviera Beach, Fla., was hospitalized and her two dogs were killed in a bee attack that also killed a third dog and left a fourth injured.

Urban entomologist Bill Kern told the Sun-Sentinel the Africanized bees' reproductive rates and sensitive nature indicate similar attacks are likely to occur in the South Florida in the future.

"Something as simple as a squirrel running across the branch nearby -- that can set them off," the University of Florida researcher said. (UPI, 2/8/09.)

POMPANO DUDE SAVES WORLD FROM KILLER BEES

POMPANO BEACH, FL --- Jason Soldini has been working in Animal Control for the city of Pompano Beach since 1996. On an average day he might pick up dogs, put down a raccoon, and scrape some roadkill off the street. In 2005 he recalls hearing the city's meter readers routinely being attacked by giant black swarms of Africanized Honey Bees -- mean suckers whose stings can kill.

Soldini told New Times that the spread of the bees is cause for grave concern. In 2007 in Pompano alone, he says, the agency found 27 hives. In 2008, it found 61. As Soldini explains on his website, www.BeeXcluder.com, Florida is expected to be saturated with Africanized Honey Bees by 2012. These bees, he says, "are particularly attracted to in-ground water meter boxes, probably because there is a perfect bee-sized hole with a nice hollow cavity inside located about every 80 feet or so." Meter readers often don't see the bees until they open the box and disturb the hive. Landscapers are often attacked, because their mowers and weed whackers anger the insects.

Sensing opportunity, Soldini switched into entrepreneur mode and invented a device that can be adhered to the top of meter boxes -- it covers the "perfect bee-sized hole" and replaces it with a non-bee-friendly slit that still allows meter readers to access meters.

Soldini has a patent pending for his invention and just made his first bulk sale -- a thousand Bee Xcluders to Broward County for less than a dollar apiece. (Deirdra Funcheon , NewTimes Broward-Palm Beach, 1/29/09.)

BEES INVADE LOCAL HOME

PALM BEACH, FL --- Crews remove a giant Africanized bee hive from a local house.

Bee removers say the hive weighed as much as 50 pounds and contained more than 50,000 bees.

It had been growing in a shed behind a house along Azalea street in Palm Beach Gardens for eight months.

Crews say the hive was well hidden even though it was so large.

The bee remover says, "They wouldn't know because this is the back of their house, an they property behind is vacant, it looks like foreclosure so they probably wouldn't have seen it."

Bee removers say it took about two hours to get rid of all the bees.

If you find a hive like this one they say don't try to get rid of it yourself. Call a professional. (Ariel Bachman , WPEC TV NEWS 12, 1/24/09.)

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