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.

SEVERAL STUNG MULTIPLE TIMES BY BEE SWARM IN FULLERTON
A swarm was spotted Friday afternoon near North Parks Road and Mariposa Lane.

FULLERTON, CA ----- Police warned residents to stay indoors after a swarm of bees attacked several people and stung them

multiple times Friday afternoon in a residential neighborhood in Fullerton.

The large swarm was spotted near North Parks Road and Mariposa Lane around 3:15 pm Friday.

At least five people were stung multiple times, one was taken to a local hospital, officials said.

Firefighters and a private beekeeper were able to gain control over the swarm by 6:15 pm Friday.

Residents were told to stay indoors, Fullerton police Sgt. Andrew Goodrich said. (KTLA-TV News 5, 5/7/11.)

10,000 BEES SWARM IN NORTHWEST VALLEY NEIGHBORHOOD

SURPRISE, AZ ---- The warm weather we'll have this weekend means you're more likely to see bees when you're outside, according to valley bee keepers.

"They're swarming this time of year, meaning the hive is splitting in two and they're multiplying and finding new places to nest," said Sterling Miller, of The Bee Keeper, a bee removal service. "(With temperatures in the high 90s to 100s -- they're real active and moving around all over place. You (may) find them in trees, in boxes in ground, in eves of houses or in walls."

Kurt Logan, of Surprise, discovered thousands of bees, trying to build a hive inside his home.

"I heard this thumping on the window and opened the blinds, and there were a hundred bees just nailing the window," said Logan. "I'm not a big fan of that."

Miller, who was called to exterminate the bees at Logan's condo, estimated there are 10,000 bees. He also said the bees were aggressive; meaning at least part of the swarm was likely Africanized.

Miller said it's always best to assume bees will be aggressive. Keep away from them your distance and try not to swat at them. He also said never dive in a pool to get away from them as they will wait above the water for you. (Cara Liu, KPHO-TV 5 News, 5/6/11.)

SWARMS OF BEES NEUTRALIZED IN FULLERTON

FULLERTON, CA - Authorities battled swarms of bees that stung residents and chased firefighters near a Fullerton intersection Friday afternoon.

A beekeeper neutralized what were reported to be thousands of bees swarming the area near Mariposa Lane and Parks Road, according to MetroNet, an emergency dispatch service.

Fullerton firefighters and a beekeeper work to remove a swarm of bees from a home on Mariposa Ln. that reportedly attacked several people earlier in the day Friday.

Several people were stung, and one person was taken to a hospital, dispatchers said.

After the swarm was reported at 3:15 p.m., police warned nearby residents to stay in their homes as firefighters assisted the private beekeeper in dealing with the swarm. It wasn't immediately clear if the swarm was made up of Africanized bees.

The bee threat was taken care of by 6:15 p.m., authorities said, when fire officials broke down a command post they had set up in the area. (Sean Emery, The Orange County Register, 5/6/11.)

'KILLER BEES': HOW TO AVOID AN ATTACK

SALT LAKE CITY, UT --- What is a killer bee? What do they look like? Where are they found? What do you do if you see one or a swarm? Here are some tips to help keep you safe.

One attack on a human by a killer bee in the Beryl area of Iron County has been confirmed, according to the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food.

African honey bees were first imported to the Americas in 1956 by Brazilian geneticist Warwick Kerr. He desired to use African stock to produce a new breed of honey bees.

About a hundred colonies of aggressive "killer bees" have been found and eradicated in Southwestern Utah, but the bees are here to stay. KSL's John Hollenhorst found out firsthand what it's like to be in an Africanized bee attack.
Kerr and his associates produced a number of first-generation hybrids, now known as Africanized honey bees. In 1957 (according to Kerr), a local beekeeper accidentally released 26 Africanized honey bee queens with small swarms into the nearby forest.

Within a few years, reports began arriving from surrounding areas of wild bees relentlessly attacking farm animals and even humans. Many Brazilian farmers suffered livestock losses and, eventually, there were human fatalities as well. By the early 1960s, it was clear that a rapid expansion had occurred among feral bee colonies and that the Africanized honey bees were moving quickly into other parts of the country.

On Feb. 11, 2009, the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food announced the confirmed presence of Africanized honey bees (AHB) in southern Utah. AHB, also known as killer bees, first entered the United States in Oct. 1990 via Hidalgo, Texas.

The Utah Department of Agriculture and Food has maintained trap lines throughout the southern part of the state in an effort to monitor the spread of killer bees since 1990. Although swarms of bees have been caught in their traps, it was not until 2009 that any of the bees captured were confirmed to be AHB. Although those bees were destroyed, it is likely that other colonies are present and that these colonies will establish viable populations.

Officials say the general public can take steps to reduce the possibilities of stings by acquainting themselves with the major types of bees present in Utah.

If stung, scrape off the stinger with a fingernail or credit card.Bees live in hollow trees, rock cavities and occasionally even in the open on a tree or bush. Beekeepers keep their hives in backyards, orchards and open fields. These hives are usually the standard white boxes stacked on top of one another. While honey bees are fairly docile, it is best to avoid these hives and to teach children to leave them alone as well.

Create a bee safety plan with your family. Listen for buzzing when entering an area that would indicate a nest or swarm. Enter potential nesting sites such as sheds, old cars and garages carefully. If you or anyone in your family has a known allergy to bee stings, obtain a prescription for a sting kit from your doctor. When hiking or camping, avoid wearing dark clothing and cover your hair. If you take your dogs with you, keep them under control; dogs can disturb a nest and lead the bees back to you.

Killer Bees: Side-by-side comparison
Learn what types of bees you may encounter in your neighborhood and how they are working for you. Take the following steps to prevent bees from establishing colonies on your property:

• Inspect exterior walls and eaves; close any openings greater than 1/8 inch.
• Install 1/8-inch hardware cloth over vents, rain spouts, utility boxes, dryer vents, swing set openings, tree cavities, etc.
• Tighten leaky faucets and other water connections; a ready supply of water is very attractive to bees.
• Completely close in unused or seldom-used vehicles; eliminate them from your property if possible.
• Fill in holes in rock walls or holes in the ground caused by mice, gophers etc.

If you are attacked by bees, regardless of whether they are AHB or not, run away from the location as quickly as possible and do not stop running until you can take shelter in a vehicle, home or other secure building. While running away, pull your shirt up over your head to protect the head and neck.

If you cannot get away to a secure location, cover yourself with blankets, clothes, sleeping bags, tarps, etc., whatever is on hand. Stay under cover and crawl away; European bees will typically subside after 20 minutes to an hour; killer bees may remain agitated for a full 24 hours. Once you are safely away from the bees, remove all the stingers by scraping them out of your skin with a fingernail or credit card; do not squeeze them with fingers or tweezers as this will inject more venom into you.

If you feel nauseated, dizzy or have shortness of breath, do not hesitate to call 911 or go to the nearest emergency care provider - you need medical attention!

If you discover a swarm of bees or a colony of bees on your property or in an area of heavy use, you should report it. In Utah County, the local association maintains a large list of beekeepers that will come and remove swarms at no charge. This list is provided to all cities in the county and to the sheriff's department, Utah Highway Patrol and other agencies that may be contacted by citizens. Individual citizens are also welcome to report swarms to 801-822-4114 or refer to the association website.

For areas outside of Utah County, there are also other associations that maintain swarm lists.

For Salt Lake County, the Wasatch Beekeepers Association works with the UCBA in maintaining a comprehensive list of beekeepers who will remove swarms. Their website is www.wasatchbeekeepers.com. For other counties, visit the Utah Beekeepers' website.

Do not attempt to do anything with the swarm yourself. Do not harass the swarm; do not spray it with water or chemicals or pesticides. Do keep your family and animals inside until the beekeeper arrives.

Be prepared and be safe. (Becky Robinette Wright, KSL-TV News 5, 5/5/11.)

What to do if attacked?

• The best method of escaping a bee attack is to cover your head and run for shelter.
• Do not jump into a swimming pool or other water, as the bees will wait until you come up for air, and attack again.
• Do not swat at the bees - the odor of a crushed bee will aggravate the remaining bees even further.
  -Utah Dept. of Agriculture

INSIDE A 'KILLER BEE' ATTACK

SOUTHERN UTAH, UT -- A few years ago, the idea that so-called "killer bees" would come to Utah was pure speculation.

Now, they're here.

Killer bees are a real threat and have been documented in Utah. Here's what you should know.About a hundred colonies of the aggressive bees have been found and eradicated in the last couple of years in Washington and Kane Counties in Southwestern Utah.

Their reputation as "killer" bees is probably overblown, their danger dwarfed by many other hazards in life. But Africanized bees have killed about a thousand people since they escaped from a breeding experiment in Brazil 50 years ago.

So, if you encounter them, be prepared.

KSL reporter John Hollenhorst and videographer Jay Dortzbach headed into bee country to see just what it would be like to be attacked by killer bees.

Beekeepers almost never suit up in head-to-toe protective gear because most bees are not very scary.

"There's really no issue with backyard beekeeping," said Washington County Bee Inspector Casey Lofthouse.

But Hollenhorst and Dortzbach did just that on their first stop with Lofthouse to a colony of regular honeybees in Washington County.

Lofthouse starts by puffing smoke into the hive. "It seems to calm them, makes them to where they're a little more docile," he explained.

As he dismantles their home, they squirm. But they hardly fly, and they're not inclined to sting.

"Most domestic bees that are kept in either a hobby or commercial setting are gentle like this," Lofthouse said.

But with Africanized bees, it's a whole different ballgame.

One colony of the bees was found in a Hurricane neighborhood, so Lofthouse moved it to a safe location in the desert. That was the next stop on the bee tour.

Killer Bees: Side-by-side comparison
Learn what types of bees you may encounter in your neighborhood and how they are working for you.

As Lofthouse pried the lid off the habitat, the bees immediately started flying out and into Hollenhorst's face.

"The intensity here, the sound, is totally different" than the domestic bees, he said.

They behave that way because "they're protecting their home," Lofthouse said. "Any time you mess with a bee's home, it's going to protect it."

Still, an Africanized bee's sting is no more venomous than a regular bee. When they kill, it's because they sting repeatedly -- hundreds or thousands of times.

Lofthouse believes this colony is only partially Africanized, worth trying to save, by bringing in a new queen to make the next generation tame.

"Even though they show aggressive traits, they're still a beneficial insect," he said.

African Honey Bees migration 1990-2003 The lesson here is that you can learn to live with what people call "killer bees" -- if you know how to do it.

"We have no choice but to learn to live with them. There's no way possible way to eradicate the Africanized honeybee,"

Lofthouse said. "They're here to stay."

The biggest risk is a colony in a place where humans might accidentally stir them up; for example, in a lawn sprinkler box.

Experts say stay alert for buzzing, aggressive bees. Avoid them, report them and, if they erupt, get away quickly.

"Run away, cover your head and neck, and go into a building or a vehicle," Lofthouse said. "They'll set up a perimeter around

their colony that they'll protect after we leave. And anything that comes within that area has the possibility of being attacked."

In the end, the Africanized bees they visited were more aggressive than expected, so Lofthouse eradicated the colony after they left. (John Hollenhorst, KSL-TV 5 News, 5/6/11.)

Where do African Honey Bees build hives?
Common places:

• Trees and Shrubs
• Wood Piles or Trash Piles
• Flower Pots
• Old Tires
• Ground Holes
• Chimneys
• Storage Sheds
• Wall Cavities
• Attics and Crawl Spaces
• Roof Overlaps and Building Eaves
• Underground Utilities
• Water Meters, Sprinkler Control Boxes
• Old Mine Shafts or Rock Crevices
• Evaporative Coolers
  Source -Utah Dept. of Agriculture

MASSIVE BEE HIVE FOUND IN FORECLOSED HOME PLAGUES NEIGHBORHOOD

NORTH LAS VEGAS, NV --- Pets and people getting stung by bees after the mother of all beehives is found behind a foreclosed home in North Las Vegas. People in the neighborhood say they're willing to pay to have the bees removed, but tell Action News they were told they legally couldn't. You ask, we investigate how to can get rid of them before someone gets seriously hurt.

"This is big, this is dangerous," neighbor Steve Vanepps says.

In Steve Vanepps neighborhood, in the backyard of a foreclosed home, underneath a tiki hut and tucked in a cabinet, are thousands of bees.

"Its like in a cabinet, you can't really see how big the honeycomb is, but you can see how many bees are swarming around it," Steve's wife, Rose Vanepps says.

When bees making honey are found in Southern Nevada, its almost always guaranteed they'll turn out to be Africanized honey bees, or better known as, killer bees. These bees are plaguing the neighborhood. Rose was stung in the head and her dog in the mouth.

"It hurts. It hurts. My whole head swollen from it. It hurts, I jumped right in a cold shower to get the sting down," Rose says.

Unable to go outside without fearing the bees, Rose, Steve, and a neighbor were willing to pay to get rid of the bees themselves.

"He called the city and the city told him they can't do anything about it and if we wanted to do anything about it, it would be trespassing," Steve says referring to his neighbor.

That's when they emailed, You Ask. We Investigate.

According to the County Appraisers website, as well as the notice on the door, the house now belongs to Deutsche Bank. We called Deutsche and they say the house is now the responsibility of BAC Loans and that they will take care of the bees.

As of Thursday the bee hive was still there. We talked to a spokesperson with the city of North Las Vegas. She tells us that the city does have the rights to go in and take care of the bees. They like to get the bank to take care of it first, but if not, they'll do it and put a lean on the house to pay for it.

Of course we'll stay on top of this to make sure they are removed and let you know when it happens. (KTNV-TV 15 News, 5/6/11.)

100,000 BEES ATTACK HOMELESS MAN IN PHOENIX

PHOENIX, AZ --- A Phoenix man is in the hospital after being stung by a swarm of about 100,000 bees.

The homeless man was walking down the street near Glenrosa when the swarm of Africanised bees descended and stung him several thousand times, sending him into anaphylactic shock.

Firefighters rescued him from the swarm by covering the bees in foam.

"Probably close to a hundred thousand bees is what they're saying. It looks like a big dark cloud," said Scott Walker, with Phoenix Fire.

"It doesn't take a lot for them to ... start attacking you."

The victim is expected to recover.

It was the 18th bee attack in Phoenix this year. (Herald Sun, 5/5/11.)

GLYNN BEEKEEPERS READY FOR AFRICAN BEES
Aggressive species expected to invade the region any time.

GLYNN COUNTY, GA --- Glynn County's beekeepers will be on the front lines when aggressive Africanized bees invade coastal Georgia.

When called into action, they will don their protective clothing to trap and eradicate the dangerous insects that are cross-breeding with domestic bees in other parts of the South but have yet to make it to Coastal Georgia.

"Eventually, we're going to have them and our local beekeepers will be called on to contain the swarm and destroy it," said Betty Ann Lewis, chairwoman of the Glynn County Agricultural Advisory Committee. Lewis hosted the Glynn County Farm Bureau's first Bee Day Sunday at Sapelo Farms, a commercial farm she operates with her husband, David, and daughter, Gabe.

About 35 local beekeepers are members of the Farm Bureau's Bee Committee, and many of them turned out to demonstrate the craft - and art - of beekeeping and the importance of bees to agriculturals and the overall good health of the environment.

Africanized bees likely will come by sea, Lewis said.

"Because we are a port city, the state Department of Agriculture keeps trap hives at the port because they expect the bees to come in on a ship," she said.

The Africanized bee threat, that's just the big attention-getter.

Beekeepers, even hobbyists, do much more to benefit the community, Lewis said.

Susan Shipman, former director of the state Department of Natural Resources' Coastal Resources Division, has turned her interests inland in retirement. She keeps five hives at her St. Simons Island home and on property she and husband, Mark Jicha, own in Wayne County.

"What you're trying to do is perpetuate the bee population," she said.

"Bees are one of the most effective pollinators. It's nice to do something to keep the pollinator population going. It's so important to our food supply."

Shipman shared her expertise on natural methods of combating threats to hives, mainly mites, moths and beetles. The main method of controlling such pests involves luring them into a container of a sickly sweet liquid, in which they drown.

For Shipman, beekeeping is a hobby, but a few Glynn County beekeepers try to make money off of it.

Penny and Gale Smith keep 21 hives on their four acres at Ellis Point.

They sell their honey at health food stores as Ellis Point Honey.

The 35,000 to 50,000 bees that occupy each hive can make a lot of honey.

"Last year, we made 500 pounds," Smith said. "So far, this year, we've gotten 150 pounds with three or four more times to go."

Her husband is in charge of keeping the bees. Smith has started to make candles from the wax.

"I don't do anything with them right now, really, other than burn them when we have a cookout," she said, "but I may try to sell them eventually."

Beekeeper Dave Hunter pointed out the medicinal value of the honey he produces in his six hives and shares with his friends.

"Doctors will tell people with allergies to get local honey," he said. "It can't be processed, though. That takes the natural properties out."

Retired pediatrician Jean Cardin, a regular customer of Sapelo Farms, said honey, when properly supplemented, is good for coughs, too.

"You thin a glob of honey with whiskey until it's the consistency of cough syrup," she said. "In all truth, it makes a better cough syrup than anything you can buy at the store." (Mike Morrison, The Florida Times-Union, 5/3/11.)

TORRANCE FAMILY'S DOG KILLED BY SWARM OF BEES

TORRANCE, CA --- Springtime brings warm temperatures, flowers and the opportunity for families and their pets to spend more time outdoors.

But it's also bee season.

And for one Torrance family, that resulted in tragedy.

When Joe Park and his family left for church Sunday and, later, to run some errands, the family dog, Inu, was happily playing in the backyard.

When they returned, the 6-year-old Jindo dog was lying in a corner of the yard convulsing, her face horribly swollen.

She had hundreds of bee stingers in her, with most of them concentrated on her face, neck and head.

"We thought they were flies, she was convulsing and breathing very hard," said Park, who lives in a two-story house on a cul-de-sac near Spencer Street and Hawthorne Boulevard. "I tried to carry her closer to the patio. She was in a lot of pain and stiff. It looked like her nervous system was shot already. ...

"The dog looked like she was dying and she was completely healthy when we left," Park said.

The 40-pound dog died within 15 to 30 minutes, he said, as the family frantically administered Benadryl and tried to remove as many of the stingers as they could.

Inu died before they were able to take her to an emergency clinic.

"I pulled 10 or more stingers out and, while I was doing that another couple bees came and stung her in the throat," he said. "She died after the last bee stung her."

Don Sorensen of Bee n' Wasp Nest Removal on Ocean Boulevard in Torrance said Park was distraught when he called him Sunday night. Not only was he upset about the dog, but he was worried about the safety of his toddler children.
"He said his poor dog was totally covered with stingers all over, in his nose and mouth," Sorensen said, adding that the call "really got to me."

Sorensen's crew went to Park's house Monday and smoked the bees out of a hive that was discovered under the eaves of the two-story home. The bees were gaining access to the attic.

The crew will return in a few days to do more inspections and to remove whatever is left.

"I had no idea it was there," Park said of the hive that Sorenson believes may have been there for about a year.

There could have been as many as 25,000 bees in the hive, Sorensen said.

"The dog was probably barking and it aggravated the bees," Sorensen said. "And it was hot (on Sunday). They don't like hot weather either; they like nice weather."

A bee attack severe enough to kill a dog is rare, but not unheard of. A swarm of bees killed two dogs in Phoenix in May 2010 and two dogs in Tennessee last July.

Veterinarian Jonnie Quantz of Animal Emergency Referral Center in Torrance said her practice sees many cases of bee sting allergies and reactions, the most severe of which, anaphylaxis, causes death.

But the clinic, she said, has not seen a mass swarming case and she worries that there could be more as native bee populations are now mixed in with the more aggressive Africanized species.

When an animal is stung, pulling stingers out only releases more venom, Quantz said. But even so, she said there was probably little the Parks could have done to save their dog after such a massive bee attack.

In such a case, she said immediate transport to an animal emergency clinic is the best option. But, she said, chances for survival are uncertain. At best, she said, "it will be a fight."

Sorensen said he'd never heard of a bee swarm killing a dog in Torrance before.

Sorensen said bees will target the "dark" spots on an animal - eyes, nose and mouth - making the attacks especially debilitating.

Homeowners should inspect their roof lines and other areas around the house to see if there is any concentrated bee activity that could indicate a hive somewhere on or inside the house, Sorensen said.

"Keep an eye on the roof line," he said. "If the cable company drills a hole, seal it up. If the telephone company drills a hole, seal it up. If there is a hole in the vent screen, fix it. Make sure your house is bee-proof."

Cracks near windows or screens also should be filled, he said.

"If you see a bee fly into your house, it's up to no good," Sorensen said.

And a home that has had a hive in the past is more likely to attract resident bees again, he said.

Sorensen told of one case in which bees had so much honey in an attic that it began seeping through the ceiling.

"I've been doing this a long time," he said, noting that bees often nest inside walls and attics and can go undetected for months.

Bees normally do not bother people or animals, but they will swarm and attack if they feel threatened, he said.

"What they do is if you're getting too close to the nest, they'll come up and bump on you," he said. "If bees are bumping on you, get out of there." (Donna Littlejohn, The Daily Breeze, 5/2/11.)

BEES FROM VACANT HOME KILL DOG, INJURE WOMAN

CORPUS CHRISTI, TX --- A swarm of bees from a vacant home killed a puppy and injured a woman Monday evening.

Around 7:00pm, the bees came out of the wall of a house on Osage, near Zavala Elementary.

A woman next door was stung several times in the head and not seriously injured, but a puppy who was roaming the yard next door was stung dozens of times.

Its owners immediately took him to the vet, but the dog didn't make it.

Normally, workers with the city's Vector Control division won't treat hives in the wall of a house, but because the owner here died in August of 2008 and the house remains empty, a technician was sent out to kill the bees.

Neighbors say it's not the first time they've battled bees around here, but they're pretty concerned this time because the house is vacant, and if no one removes the honeycomb from the walls, the bees will likely return. (Bart Bedsole, KRIS-TV News 6, 4/25/11.)

GLENDALE PUPPY KILLED BY SWARM OF BEES; BOY ALSO STUNG
.
GLENDALE, AZ --- A swarm of bees killed a puppy Wednesday and stung three others and a boy, Glendale fire said.

A Glendale man tried to save the pit bulls from bees around 5 p.m. in the backyard of his home near 62nd Avenue and Ocotillo Road, but the bees managed to sting the dogs several times, fire spokesman Daniel Valenzuela said. The man had seven puppies in total, but three were inside his home.

While outside, the man was stung several times and his son was stung once, Valenzuela said. Neither victims were allergic to bees and were not taken to a hospital.

The man mentioned seeing a bee hive in the area, Valenzuela said.

Firefighters extinguished the bees using foam.

Anyone who notices a hive and does not feel threatened should call a beekeeper to take care of them, Valenzuela said. Those who do feel threatened should call 911.

There were two bee attacks Wednesday in the Phoenix area. (Alexa Chrisbacher, The Arizona Republic, 4/21/11.)

BEE SEASON IS HERE: WATCH OUT AND BE CAREFUL

TUCSON, AZ --- Spring is here, flowers are blooming, and the bees are already swarming. An attack in Texas earlier this week killed an elderly couple; one in Glendale killed a dog; another one in Phoenix shut down an intersection and sent one man to a hospital in serious condition.

Glendale resident Guillermo Martinez found his dog attacked by a swarm of bees, and did everything he could to send the bees away.

"I tried to hose him down, help him out but he was already going into convulsions. He wouldn't respond. They started jumping on the rest of my dogs on the side." Guillermo said. The dog died; three more were injured.

Tucson isn't immune. Although bee season is starting late this year for the city, experts are telling people to be careful. Nearly all the bees in Tucson are Africanized, which is the more dangerous variety.

"They say one sting for every ten pounds that you can withstand, unless you have an allergy to them, then it can be very dangerous. Children are more susceptible, the elderly are more susceptible," said Dena Berg, the pest control manager for Northwest Exterminating Company.

Berg advises that if a bee is circling you, don't swat it or it will get more aggressive, but a swarm of bees requires more direct action.

"The advice is to cover your mouth, they're attracted to release of carbon dioxide. And get inside a structure. Never jump in water because once you come up, they'll be waiting for you," Berg said. Instead, she advised that people should run indoors, or into a car to avoid a swarm.

Experts said people should inspect their properties and surroundings to ensure everything is properly sealed, as this is the time of year bees are looking for cavities in homes and in the ground to establish colonies. (Claire Doan, KGUN-TV News 9, 4/21/11.)

BEES KILL ELDERLY TEXAS COUPLE

MCALLEN, TX ---- An elderly South Texas couple died and their son was injured after a swarm of bees attacked them on their remote ranch, authorities said on Wednesday.

William Steele, 95, and his wife, Myrtle, 92, died and their son, Richard, 67, was injured after bees attacked them as they tried to clean a hunting cabin on their ranch near Hebbronville on Monday, an investigator with the Jim Hogg County Sheriff's Office said.

"It was a terrible thing," Investigator Reyes Espinoza told Reuters. "You don't prepare for something like that."

Richard Steele told investigators he and his parents were attacked after they moved a wood stove in the cabin and exposed a hive of bees, Espinoza said.

The son immediately drove about 15 miles to the nearest road, where he managed to call for help on a cell phone.

William Steele tried to escape the bees by running from the cabin, but he fell and succumbed to hundreds of bee stings, Espinoza said.

Myrtle Steele was airlifted to a Corpus Christi hospital, where she died on Tuesday. Her son was transported to a Laredo hospital and released, Espinoza said.

Espinoza said the bees swarmed deputies when they arrived at the scene on Monday.

"By the grace of God, we didn't get stung," he said. "You could literally scoop them off of us."

Espinoza said they were likely Africanized honey bees -- often called "killer bees" for their aggression -- which are common in south Texas.

The bees are hybrids from swarms originally introduced to Brazil from Africa, which absconded in the 1950s. They spread north through South and Central America, crossing into south Texas in 1990, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

The bees swarm more frequently than native bees, and are extremely defensive. The USDA advises untrained individuals against trying to remove swarms. If attacked, individuals should run away quickly and not stop to help others.

Fatal attacks are rare, although the USDA gave no figures. (Additional reporting by Tim Gaynor; Editing by Greg McCune, Reuters, 4/20/11.)

MAN HOSPITALIZED, ONE DOG KILLED DURING MULTIPLE BEE ATTACKS

PHOENIX, AZ --- Firefighters were called out to three different bee attacks around the West Valley Wednesday afternoon.

The first was at 115th Avenue and Roeser Road in Tolleson, the second one at 62nd Avenue and Ocotillo Road in Glendale and at 43rd Avenue and Greenway Road in Phoenix.

One man was sent to the hospital when bees stopped traffic near 43rd Avenue and Greenway Road.

Firefighters said people who were out walking, bicycling and driving with the windows down were all stung.

The bees involved in this attack were from a nearby home where there were bee boxes for harvesting honey. Apparently when one bee got agitated they all did, stinging a total of four people.

The attack at 62nd Avenue and Ocotillo Road killed one dog and seriously injured three others.

The three seriously injured were taken to Arizona Humane Society.

The homeowner said that the bees had a hive in his yard for about a month. He is a renter and had been trying to get the homeowner to get rid of the bees, but didn't have any luck.

The homeowner has a total of seven dogs and luckily three of them were inside when the attack occurred.

And the incident at 115th Avenue and Roeser Road happened earlier Wednesday morning when two men were stung after a swarm of bees inside a wall outside a home.

Firefighters say is you spot a bee hive the best things to do it leave it alone and call an exterminator, but if you encounter a bee swarm or bee attack call 911. (Natalie Rivers, azfamily.com, 4/20/11.)

COUPLE DEAD, SON SURVIVES BEE ATTACK

SANTA ROSA, TX - An elderly couple died and their son was injured in an attack of bees at their ranch outside Hebbronville, Jim Hogg County deputies said.

William "W.T." Steele, his wife Myrtle and their son Richard were cleaning the small house they own on ranchland near Jones Ranch, a hunting area in Jim Hogg County, their daughter-in-law Judy Steele said Tuesday.

The Steeles had gone to the ranch, which Judy Steele described as "way out in the middle of Jones Ranch," for the day. She expected them to return Monday afternoon.

The elder Steele was spraying to kill bees that had built a hive in the fireplace, when the bees swarmed and attacked him, his wife and their son, she said.

She said her father-in-law must not have realized how large the beehive was.

W.T. Steele, 90, was pronounced dead at the scene. Myrtle Steele, 92, was airlifted to a Corpus Christi hospital, about 100 miles away, where she died Tuesday, Judy Steele said, adding her mother-in-law had been stung more than 300 times.

Richard Steele, 67, suffered many bee stings to his head and face, she said. He was taken to Laredo Memorial Hospital, about 80 miles from the ranch, and was released Tuesday, she said.

Judy Steele said there was no cell phone service from her in-laws' ranch and her husband had to drive several miles to the nearest phone, where he called 9-1-1. Then he had to wait at the end of the ranch road so he could lead emergency workers to his injured parents.

Jim Hogg sheriff's deputies said it took about 20 minutes to reach the Steeles, and the ranch house was about 15 miles from the road.

Reyes Espinoza and Diaz Morales of the Jim Hogg sheriff's department responded to the scene to aid the Steele family.
Espinoza said that they arrived without any special uniform to protect them from bee stings.

He added that with the help of Richard Steele, they were able to locate Myrtle Steele alive inside the home.

"We were getting stung in the process, but we were able to place a blanket over her and take her to an awaiting ambulance - we did what we could," he said.

Espinoza stated that he and Morales returned to the home and located W.T. Steele, who was already dead.He said as of Tuesday evening, the species of bees had not been identified, and that the hive had not been removed from the home.

W.T. Steele was a farmer in Santa Rosa, growing cotton, grain and corn, Judy Steele said. When he retired about 30 years ago, and Richard took over the family farm, the Steeles bought the land in Jim Hogg County to raise a few head of cattle, and for hunting.

Both W.T. and Myrtle were healthy and active people, she said of her in-laws.

"My husband feels terrible," Judy Steele said. "He feels that he didn't do enough to help his parents."

She added, "We thank the Good Lord that they died together." (Isaac Garcia, Valley Morning Star, 4/20/11.)

VICTIM SPEAKS OUT ABOUT BEE ATTACK IN FRONT YARD

PHOENIX, AZ --- This time of year, as Valley temperatures begin to rise, so does the number of bee attacks.

It's a danger some Arizona residents don't even know can be as close as their own backyard.

"I could see they were spraying in this area right here," explained bee attack victim Fabian Argumendo.

Now out of the hospital, Argumendo tells me about being attacked Thursday while he was working outside his Tolleson home.

"Next thing I know I've got a swarm of bees, I mean all over my head," said Argumendo. "I couldn't even count, I was just trying to fight them off and run inside the house."

Argumendo's attack was one of three around the Valley on Wednesday. In Glendale, three dogs were attacked and a fourth was killed.

In west Phoenix, two people were stung by a swarm, sending one of them to the hospital.

"This time of year there's a lot of swarming, you're going to see all kinds of bee activity," said Don McAllister with Desert Sky Pest Control.

On Thursday, McAllister took care of a hive before the bees hurt anyone.

"It can be extremely dangerous if you don't know where the bees are," said McAllister.

The recent incidents serve as a warning for Valley residents; sometimes you can't tell, bees will swarm and then disappear quickly.

"Then within 15 minutes, almost all the bees are inside the cavity they've chosen," said McAllister.

You should be aware of until the weather cools down again and the bees become more dormant.

"From now until pretty much September were going to be strictly bee calls," said McAllister. (Jay Reynolds, ABC News 15, 4/20/11.)

VALLEY BEE ATTACKS POSE DANGER TO RESIDENTS, PETS

GLENDALE, AZ --- A dog was killed and three people were hospitalized in a series of bee attacks around the Valley Wednesday.

The first incident was reported Wednesday morning in Tolleson after two people were stung near their home. Officials tell ABC15 a hive was discovered inside a vacant building near the victims' residence.

Both people were transported to a local hospital with non life-threatening injuries.

The second attack, reported at a Glendale home around 5 p.m., left a 3-year-old pit bull dead and three others seriously injured.

Air15 showed firefighters spraying foam into an area under the roof of the home as other crewmembers tended to several dogs stung by the bees.

Several people were near the home at the time of the attack, but were not injured.

Glendale Fire Department spokesman Daniel Valenzuela said The Humane Society will be stepping in to help the family who owns the dogs.

Crews on Wednesday were also called to 43rd Avenue and Greenway Road after reports of a bee attack in the area.

When units arrived at the scene, they reportedly noticed several people running from a large swarm and swatting at the bees.

Tony Mure, with the Phoenix Fire Department, said two people were treated at the scene and a third was taken to the hospital to be treated for stings. The roadway was shut down for two hours to clear the area, according to Mure. (Katie Fisher, KNXV-News 15 ABC, 4/20/11.)

BEES STING PEOPLE, HORSES, DOGS IN NW VALLEY
Firefighters Locate Huge Hive
PHOENIX, AZ --- Firefighters and bee experts were literally buzzing around after the discovery of a huge swarm of bees in northwest Phoenix on Wednesday night.

Phoenix Fire captain Tony Mure told CBS 5 News the call began with one man receiving multiple bee stings shortly after 6:30 p.m. Soon, however, several more residents near 43rd Avenue and Greenway Road had called 911 to report that they, too, had been stung.

One person was transported to a nearby hospital, Mure said.

When firefighters learned of the growing number of sting victims, which included dogs and horses, they called for more crews to help with the assignment. They also called a bee expert to deal with the large hive.

"This is a major bee assignment," said Mure.

Michael Skoriuchow lives a block away from the hive. He said he came home Wednesday evening to find his two dogs, a Labrador mix and a Cocker Spaniel, had been attacked by bees and did not survive.

"I have two small children. I'm glad that they didn't get stung," said Skoriuchow. "But I lost two of my little friends."

Firefighters on scene said there was a huge swarm of bees in the street, and quite a few of them were stung while trying to destroy the hive and protect citizens.

Residents in the area were warned to stay indoors until fire teams cleared the scene.

Wednesday night's bee incident came on the heels of one earlier in the day in which two people were stung in Tolleson. (Scott Davis, KPHO CBS TV 5 News, 4/20/11.)

BEE ATTACK FORCES TEXAS FIREFIGHTERS TO RETREAT

EL PASO, TX --- Firefighters are dealing with a bee attack this evening outside a seafood restaurant in the Lower Valley.

El Paso firefighters were dispatched on a call of a bee attack shortly before 4 p.m. at Cocteles Mazatlan in the 7900 block of North Loop Drive, Inspector John Concha, a Fire Department spokesman said.

Concha said the bees attacked firefighters on arrival, forcing them to retreat into vehicles before a specialized unit was sent to handle the bees. "The bees are being pretty aggressive," Concha said.

A lane of North Loop Drive is blocked off while firefighters handle the incident. (Daniel Borunda, El Paso Times, 4/13/11.)

81-YEAR-OLD YUMA, ARIZ., WOMAN SURVIVES ATTACK BY HUNDREDS OF BEES; RESCUERS ALSO STUNG

YUMA, AZ - An 81-year-old Arizona woman is recovering after being attacked by hundreds of bees.

A spokesman for the Yuma Fire Department says when paramedics arrived Monday, they found the woman sitting on a sidewalk covered in the insects. The department says she was stung multiple times on her face and body.

Firefighters sprayed the woman with a foam mixture to remove most of the bees and keep them back while moving the victim. Paramedics began treating her immediately and she was transported to a hospital.

Some of the rescuers were also stung by angry bees.

The Yuma Sun reports a witness said the woman was taking out the trash when the bees attacked. (Associated Press, 4/6/11.)

BEE ATTACKS REPORTED IN 4600 BLOCK OF EIGHTH STREET

LUBBOCK, TX --- Lubbock Fire fighters and pest control officials work to contain a swarm of bees in the 4600 block of 8th Street in Lubbock on Monday. The bees attacked residents and pets in the area before being contained.

When firefighters got to the Schnauzer late Monday morning in the 4600 block of Eighth Street, there were already at least 100 bees covering the small dog's body.

They tried to save it by putting a respirator on it, but officials told the dog's owner - also stung by the large swarm of bees - that he probably wouldn't make it, said Jean Hastings, who witnessed the attack.

At least one other dog was reportedly stung during the bee attacks that shut down the two neighborhoods in the 4600 block of Eighth and Ninth streets for more than 30 minutes Monday while emergency officials and pest control experts worked to find and eliminate the bee hive.

Hastings said she and the dog's 42-year-old female owner heard the three dogs barking from the backyard. When they opened the blinds, they saw the bees attacking the small animals.

"The backyard was just full of bees," said Hastings, who was visiting the house where the bee attack occurred on an appraisal assignment. "We had quite a scare."

The dog's owner was able to get two dogs to safety by calling them to the garage. But the third dog was already covered in bees and laying on the far side of the yard, Hastings said.

Its owner was stung a couple of times, but not extensively.

No residents needed to be transported to the hospital for medical treatment, said Lubbock Fire Lt. Van O'Harrow, but residents took two dogs to the vet.

He didn't know the conditions of the dogs, but said one was "in severe stress" when firefighters arrived on scene.

Firefighters and Gafford Pest Control officials immediately started checking backyards after the first report of a bee attack at about 11:30 a.m. Police units quickly blocked off both streets, not allowing traffic to come in and telling residents to stay inside.

O'Harrow said they found the bee hive in a storage facility in the backyard next door to where firefighters found the small dog covered in bees.

Officials didn't know what disturbed the bees, but said they weren't easily noticeable at first because their hive was inside the wall.

Authorities killed the hive, eliminating the immediate threat to residents.

However, O'Harrow warned that there were still some bees flying around the neighborhood so residents should be cautious over the next few days.

Pest control experts were expected to check the scene again Monday night.

"There's still a few bees, but there's no way to get them all," he said.

Officials didn't know what type of bees were in the neighborhood, but Tim Gafford, owner of Gafford Pest Control, said he didn't think they were the extremely aggressive Africanized bees, also known as "killer bees."

"I think they were just honey bees," Gafford said, noting they weren't overly aggressive to his employees.

It wouldn't be uncommon for Africanized bees to chase somebody for blocks, he noted.

However, officials wouldn't know for sure without official lab testing. Gafford didn't plan to send any samples to the lab.

Gafford pointed out that honeybees have been known to attack.

"If you do anything to disturb them, they can attack," he said, noting they become overprotective of their territory.

He said he thought that's what happened Monday morning.

Once the nest was disturbed, the dogs' barking next door apparently set them off on them.

Gafford said Lubbock seems to get several bee attacks each year.

"You need to be real cautious of them," he advised the public.

If residents notice several bees in a residence or in one area, they should immediately call a pest control professional.

Gafford said a few bees could be a sign of a nearby nest - which if accidentally disturbed could result in attacks of pets and people.

Fire officials advised if anybody encounters a swarm of bees, they should go inside and call 911.

Emergency and pest control officials will respond to the scene immediately because the bee swarms can pose a serious threat to the public.

O'Harrow also recalls several incidents of bee attacks over the past couple of years in Lubbock.

"It's becoming more and more common," he added. (Robin Pyle
Avalanche-Journal, 3/22/11.)

BEES ATTACK LANDSCAPER IN SCOTTSDALE
Firefighters Take 1 Person To Hospital For Observation

SCOTTSDALE, AZ --- Landscapers working on a yard near Granite Reef and Indian School roads in Scottsdale were stung multiple times Wednesday morning, according to a Scottsdale Fire Department official.

Greg Porto, a firefighter with the Scottsdale Fire Department said three landscapers were treated for bee stings, and one of them was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries after being stung at least four times in the head and face. The landscapers were performing standard yard work when the bees attacked from above.

Two hives were found 40 to 50 feet up a large pine tree in the front yard of the home. Foam was applied to quickly exterminate the bees and both hives were removed and destroyed. Firefighters evacuated the immediate area as they worked to remove the hives.

Although it's natural to want to run away or swat at the bees if being attacked, "I recommend you hold tight and if someone's around, have them spray you with water. At least cover your face, nose, and mouth, because if they get into your mouth, they can sting your airway, which may potentially swell up," said Porto.

Rich Hobe, owner of Star Pest Control said, "With large hives like this, even once exterminated, you'll find aggressive bees nearby as they look for their hive. The best thing you can do is slowly walk away."

Tiffani Nichols with the Scottsdale Fire Department wants to remind residents that they will not remove bees unless there is an imminent danger to people or an active attack in progress and residents should contact a beekeeper or bee removal company if concerned about bees on their property. (Jason Kadah, KPHO CBS 5 News, 3/16/11.)

LARGE BEE HIVE FOUND IN SCOTTSDALE NEIGHBORHOOD

SCOTTSDALE, AZ --- Scottsdale fire responded to a report of a landscaper stung by multiple bees in a neighborhood near Granite Reef and Indian School Road.

Just before 10 a.m. firefighters located two large beehives in a pine tree.

Three patients were treated for bee stings, with one patient being transported to the hospital for further evaluation.

The immediate area has been evacuated and fire officials are working with the homeowners to contact a bee removal company.

The bees are very aggressive and residents in the area are asked to stay indoors and avoid the 8300 block of East Heatherbrae.

The Scottsdale Fire Department reminds residents they will not remove bees unless there is an imminent danger to a person or active attack in progress. Residents should contact a beekeeper or bee removal company when a hive is found. (Natalie Rivers, azfamily.com, 3/16/11.)

'KILLER BEE' ATTACK SENDS SOCAL MAN TO HOSPITAL

ALPINE, CA --- Authorities in San Diego County say an attack by so-called killer bees has sent a gardener to the hospital.

Fire Chief Bill Paskle of the Alpine Fire Protection district says the 40-year-old man was working near two hives of Africanized honeybees on Wednesday in Alpine when about 40,000 bees from one hive attacked.

Paskle tells KSWB-TV that the man ran up the street to a liquor store. He was stung at least 10 times and treated at a hospital for an allergic hospital.

A professional bee remover, Dan Wasson, says the sound of the gardener's weed-eater may have prompted the bees to attack.

Wasson also was stung and a co-worker was treated for exposure to toxic chemicals as they poisoned the hives. (The Associated Press, 3/10/11.)

'KILLER BEES' ATTACK SAN DIEGO COUNTY MAN

ALPINE, CA --- A 40-year-old Alpine man was taken to a hospital after he was attacked by swarm of "killer bees," according to a report by KSWB-TV.

The man suffered an allergic reaction after he was stung about 10 times while doing landscaping work, the San Diego station reported. The man was taken to Grossmont Hospital.

"He ran up the street to a liquor store, and that's where my engine crews found the individual," Fire Chief Bill Paskle of the Alpine Fire Protection District said. Alpine is east of San Diego.

The Africanized bees have a sting more potent than that of regular bees and often attack in swarms. (Robert J. Lopez, LA Journal, 3/9/11.)

GARDENER HOSPITALIZED AFTER BEE ATTACK
Authorities Say Man Stung More Than 40 Times In Alpine Alleyway

SAN DIEGO, CA --- A gardener working in Alpine was taken to the hospital Wednesday after being attacked by an angry swarm of bees.

The incident happened in an alleyway on 2165 Arnold Way after authorities said the man apparently disturbed a hive in an oak tree.

Authorities said the man was stung more than 40 times but managed to escape any further injury. He was released from the hospital a short time after the attack.

Another man, a bee removal specialist, was also taken to the hospital. Firefighters said he was stung several times and may have inhaled some of the chemicals he was using to remove the hives.

Last year, there were several attacks involving the more aggressive Africanized honey bees, which make up about 80 percent of San Diego's bee population. It's not clear whether the bees in Alpine were Africanized.

"I'm a little concerned," said Jeff Vance, who lives in a complex near the alleyway. Vance said he walks by the area frequently with his children and plans to keep an eye out for any activity.

A San Diego County entomologist said residents should expect close encounters with bees during swarming season, which lasts until the end of May.

"It's a combination of bees being active, the weather being very nice and people being active too," said entomologist David Kellum. (WGTV-TV 10 News, 3/9/11.)

KILLER BEES SWARMING OUTSIDE COUPLE'S HOME

SUMMERFIELD, FL --- African bees - also known as killer bees - are swarming around Eric and Deborah Uneberg's central Florida home.

Approximately 10,000 bees swarmed from a beehive in a live oak tree in the couple's backyard on Monday when a pizza delivery man approached their home. No one was injured. And, for now, the bees have settled in a nearby live oak tree in Summerfield, near Ocala.

The couple first noticed the beehive on Jan. 17.

Entomologist Richard Martyniak estimates the original hive may have contained up to 60,000 bees.

Martyniak, who works for All Florida Bee Removal, says he has been called to get rid of several hives of African Bees in the area. (The Associated Press, 3/1/11.)

IS BUZZ ABOUT BEES FOR THE BIRDS?

OCALA, FL --- Whether all the buzz about a suspected Africanized killer bee hive in Summerfield is warranted is something only the bees themselves may know.

That's because even though more than half of the unwanted bee hives removed from residential and commercial properties are Africanized - or full of aggressively defensive bees - the hives are indistinguishable from those of their more passive European honey bee cousins.

That's the situation unfolding at the Summerfield home of Eric Uneberg and his wife, Deborah Burgess-Uneberg.

"We don't know [what kind of bees are at the house], but we know we're running into more and more mean bees" in general, said entomologist Richard Martyniak, with All Florida Bee Removal.

His company is removing the hive and its 20,000 occupants for the couple. The Star-Banner published pictures of the removal on Tuesday, and other media outlets - including the Drudge Report - also reported the story.

Martyniak said at least 50 percent of the hives All Florida Bee Removal encounters shows the more aggressive traits of the African bees. That leads him to conclude there's a good chance that the Unebergs' hive is made up of Africanized bees and not European honey bees, which are most associated with honey production in the United States.

But he doesn't know for sure. So far, the bees have not been aggressive, nor have they tried to sting him behind his protective canvas suit, he admits.

The Unebergs first spotted the dangling hive 40 feet up in an oak tree in January. Swarms of at least 30 bees have swooped onto area foliage and flowers, but the Unebergs haven't been stung yet, either.

The aggressive African bee and its migration from Brazil through South America into the United States as a dangerous intruder has been a frightening tale.

By 2002, the bees, which were accidentally released in the 1950s from Brazil, had made their way into Texas and Florida. By 2010, they were in Georgia. They attack and kill one or two people annually in the United States.

They spread into the southern United States by mating with the European honey bee queens or drones and effectively compete against the more docile European bees for resources.

The hybrid Africanized bees are indistinguishable from European bees in appearance, said Jeanette Klopchin, an official with the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. The two bees only sting once, losing their stinger during the encounter, and each carries the same amount of venom.

The difference lies in their behavior.

The "killer bees" typically send out 10 times the number of attack bees than European honey bees when the hive feels threatened, Klochin said. The more aggressive bees will likely defend a far greater area around their hive.

Bee keepers can try to keep Africanized bee infestations at bay by keeping their bees from swarming. Swarming occurs when the bee hive grows substantially large enough to start a second colony and a portion of the original bee population leaves to form their own hive.

That's when rogue Africanized bees mingle with the new swarm and mate.

Africanized bee migration is limited only by climate, Klochin said, so they could travel as far north as the Carolinas if there's enough warm weather to support the hive.

Martyniak said he's seen their migration and a change in bee behavior during the past few years.

He said in some cases, hives are so aggressive in defending themselves that he's had to coordinate with local law enforcement to shut off traffic and pedestrians onto an entire block while he removes a hive. Martyniak said that level of necessary precaution wasn't needed just 10 or 15 years ago.

Rather than trying to identify any given hive as Africanized, Martyniak said a hive is instead characterized by its level of aggressiveness.

"They're totally unpredictable until you start working with them," he said.

A situation where only half a dozen European bees might attack him, "thousands [of Africanized bees] would come after me," he said.

In one case, his protective suit was stung so many times, "I had enough venom to kill me," he said.

But as for the Unebergs' hive, Martyniak said only, "I never say this is an African colony. But we are encountering more and more mean bees."

When approaching the Uneberg hive, however, Martyniak said he wasn't attacked, even when slicing off a portion of the hive. (Fred Hiers, Ocala Star-Banner, 3/1/11.)

KILLERS BEES SWARMING CENTRAL FLORIDA?
Experts say African bee colonies are increasing and migrating northward, soon covering the entire state.

ORLANDO, FL --- Eric Uneberg was walking his dog Sasha beneath the live oaks in the backyard of his Marion County home when he got a strange feeling that he was being watched. He looked around as the hairs on his neck began to stand on end. Nothing to the right or left.

But as Uneberg turned to go inside the house, he decided to look up.

"I thought it was just some strange animal hanging from the tree because it was big and brown and in the corners all you could see were these four golden-like feet," Uneberg said.

They were bees. Tens of thousands of them. However, these were not typical pollinators.

The unusual hive is a trademark of the African killer bee, a honey bee subspecies that has swarmed the region as it makes its way north from South Florida. The infamous insect is notorious for viciously attacking both animals and people-anyone that threatens the colony.

The bees have been reported in more than 26 Florida counties from the south and along both coasts, according to the Florida Department of Agriculture. But they won't stop there - experts say the honey bees will likely encompass the entire state in just a few years.

Marion County is known as the front line of the African bee migration because cold winter temperatures kill the insects and keep them at bay, said entomologist Richard Martyniak, who works for various bee-removal services throughout the state.

Martyniak said there have been confirmed reports of African bees in all Central Florida Counties - Orange, Osceola, Lake, Volusia, Seminole, Polk and Brevard.

The bees are reproducing rapidly, adapting and migrating faster than expected. Jason Deeringer of All Florida Bee Removal said 80 to 90 percent of colony removals are inside homes and buildings

Martyniak said he's been flooded with work removing feral hives from urban apartment complexes in Kissimmee and Orlando to killing dangerous colonies near golf courses as far north as The Villages.

African bee or typical honeybee?

African or killer bees are practically indistinguishable from the typical honeybee - except in behavior.

Commercial honey bees are more docile and tamed easily by beekeepers. Unlike the African bees that prefer tight compact places, these bees construct their hives high above the ground in trees and open spaces.

Martyniak said queens are choosing to mate with male African bees - who fly faster and are resistant to pests killing other bees -creating hybrid populations of highly-defensive bees.

Entomologists noticed the bee behavior change in Central Florida in the last two years.

Killers bees received their name because of the relentless way they attack invaders. If a threat approaches, thousands of bees will descend and chase them for more than a mile. They aim their stingers at the neck, head, and face to stop you from breathing, Deeringer said.

"You can jump in a pool and they won't stop chasing. You are marked," Deeringer said. "If your head comes out of the water one second, they will attack with unrivaled tenacity. The aggravation they feel is 10 times that of a normal honey bee."

When a killer bee hive is disturbed, anything within 600 yards - pets, horses, children - is vulnerable, Deeringer said.

"We've seen spectacular stinging incidents," Martyniak said. "Just last November in Georgia, an African bee colony killed a fellow who was knocking down a house on his homestead."

It can take about 1,000 stings to kill a full-grown man - or 10 stings per pound of body weight - but for people who are allergic, it only takes one.

If residents come across a bee colony, experts advise them to act quickly and call a professional bee removal service. (Arelis R. Hernández, Orlando Sentinel, 3/1/11.)

EXPERTS: TIME TO PREPARE FOR BEE ACTIVITY

YUMA, AZ --- Although bee-swarming season is still a couple of months away, local bee experts say that now is the time for Yumans to prepare.

Bees swarm when a hive becomes too big and some split from the established hive. They move to a new home, and that new home might just be on your property.

"What happens is that in the spring and summer hives get too big," said Paul McEwan, Yuma branch manager for Truly Nolen Pest and Termite Control. "Bees go looking for a new home. They send out scouts to find the new home.

"Scouts look for houses with cracks, crevices, anything with a void, like the roofline, there's always gaps there. Sometimes they go between the sheetrock and the house, and before you know it, they're in your house."

That's why McEwan and other local bee experts encourage homeowners to take the time now to look for any potential spaces for beehives and seal holes on their property, including in trees.

He also suggested keeping recycling lids and garbage cans, which might attract bees, clean and closed.

"You'll see them in the commercial, residential areas, around convenience store garbage cans. That's them, after the sweet stuff," he said.

Arizona saw an increase in swarming bees last spring because of above-average rainfall. McEwan said bee activity could be on the rise again this year, depending on the rainfall.

"It depends on the weather. If there is a lot of rainfall, bees sense that and realize there will be a lot more food out there and flowers to pollinate. So they push out a lot more eggs," McEwan said, noting that more bees equal more swarming.

"When there's a swarm on a tree, they're usually resting. People think there are a couple hundred, but there are actually tens of thousands," he said.

However, bee experts say that swarms are not always dangerous, so they caution the public not to panic if they see one.

"When you see swarms on trees, a lot of times they're just landing to rest before they get to where they know they want to go," said Chuck Emmons, Wellton beekeeper and president of the Arizona Western Beekeeper Association.

Swarms on trees usually leave on their own, sometimes within a few hours or a couple of days.

"When they're flying in the air, they're not too aggressive, only when their established home is threatened do they get aggressive," Emmons said.

Nevertheless, both men advise residents to stay alert and aware of their surroundings, especially when working outside.

"They're not aggressive, only when they feel their house is being threatened. Then they attack and they'll chase you for a mile," McEwan said.

"I still wouldn't recommend people get close, even if they're not that aggressive."

He noted that someone could unwittingly provoke an attack, "someone using a lawn mower, a landscaper trimming trees. If the bees are inside a hallowed tree, they'll feel the vibration, and they're out and they're out to kill."

McEwan pointed out that human breath and perspiration could also trigger an attack. "Kids playing outside, waving arms, jumping in the area will also get them going."

However, very few beekeepers will remove hives. Rick Smith, Yuma beekeeper and president of Arizona State Beekeepers Association, said he recommends people call an exterminator. He said beekeepers nowadays would rather not remove swarms due to the cost and liability.

Emmons also recommends people call an exterminator, noting that many beekeepers find it too time-consuming. "I'm a beekeeper, not an exterminator," he said.

McEwan said Truly Nolen has different methods of dealing with bees. One is using scout traps, which attract bees with pheromones. "They'll get stuck and then they can't go back and tell them where to go."

They also exterminate the bees, remove the hive and seal the hole. "After they're killed, we must remove them or else it heats up and the honey melts and then you have a nasty odor that attracts other types of bugs," McEwan said. ( Mara Knaub, The Yuma Sun, 2/13/11.)

FIRST RESPONDERS LEARN THE BUZZ ON AFRICANIZED BEES

ALBANY, GA --- Africanized bees remain a threat in South Georgia.

Hundreds of emergency responders spent Tuesday learning how to deal with killer bees. It's part of an effort to prepare the community for the spring when more of the aggressive and dangerous bees could show up.

In October, 73-year old Curtis Davis died after he was stung hundreds of times when his bulldozer struck a hive in east Dougherty County. While a firefighter's turn out gear is helpful, they learned today they may beekeeping helmets and other tools on their trucks to deal with a situation involving killer bees.

How Africanized bees ended up in this Williamsburg Road field in southeast Dougherty County is still a mystery. What to do about them now is why hundreds of first responders gathered at the Albany Civic Center. They came from as far as Crisp County.

"Being first responders to incidents we want know what to do in a situation if there is a swarm," said Major Ken Partain, Crisp County Sheriff's Office.

To learn how to rescue victims like Curtis Davis who was covered in bees with hundreds of stings. Firefighters can use foam already on their trucks, but departments are urged to buy bee equipment.

"For those departments to go ahead and invest in some bee veils, invest in some bee suits," said Bill Owens, a beekeeper and firefighter.

Officials also encouraged hospitals to develop a plan.

"They're not all going to die off as fast so trying to deal with that in the back of the ambulance, on the way to the hospital, even when you get to the hospital," said Owens.

The worry is there will be more of these more aggressive, killer bees this spring.

"Spring is the time bees start expanding their nests, it's a time when they start reproducing and making more colonies," said Keith Delplane, Ph.D. UGA Professor & Extension Entomologist.

That's why when the weather warms more traps like this one will go up in a three mile area and the community is asked not to disturb them.

"If you mess with them we don't know whether we had anything in them on not number two they can be dangerous," said Barry Smith, Georgia Department of Agriculture Program Manager.

Which is why they say bee management through bee keepers is so important, to keep the friendlier European honey bees in Dougherty County in an effort to keep the Africanized bees from taking over.

There were a lot of questions Tuesday from first responders, and officials tried to answer them as best they could. Some have asked for another meeting to inform more first responders.

Officials have tested more than a hundred bees captured in the area. In four different colonies, they found Africanized bees. They will continue to test colonies through the spring. (WALB TV-10 News, 2/8/11.)

LANDSCAPER RECOVERING AFTER BEE ATTACK

HOLLYWOOD, FL --- A South Florida landscaper is recovering at the hospital after he was attacked by a swarm of bees.

Andres Calvo is telling his story from his hospital bed after he was stung 150 times by bees, Monday afternoon. "I was on the lawnmower cutting the grass in the backyard. All of a sudden, I felt something over me, I could hear the sound of the bees. They came out of nowhere, and all of a sudden, they were all over me. I started screaming for help and a couple of people tried to help me," said Calvo.

Calvo was attacked while cutting a friend's grass along the 1900 of Scott Street in Hollywood. He said he tried to run, took off his shirt and tried to swat away the bees, but the attack continued. "They were all over my head, in my ears, in my nose. It was horrible. I was dizzy. I was throwing up, disoriented. It felt like my entire body was on fire."

Neighbor Theresa Perchiano witnessed the attack and ran for help. "The guy was cutting the grass and I seen him screaming. I thought he was fighting, and then I came outside to ask him if he was all right, and he turned around, and his whole back was covered in bees," said Perchiano.

The bees came from outside of Ileana Ramon's home. Ramon said she keeps the bees in several hives to collect their honey. "I've had the bees more than 10 years here, and this has never happened. We cut the grass, all my neighbors, and it never happened," said Ramon.

Tom Anggelucci called 911. "Our friend that's over here, he grabbed our hose and tried to squirt the guy down to help him, but the guy took off running, and we called paramedics," said Anggelucci.

Calvo is recovering at the hospital and taking pain medication. "I don't even want to think about that moment. I never want to go through something like this ever again. It was terrible. If I had been allergic, I would have died for sure," he said. (WSVN-TV 7 News, 2/1/11.)

EMERGENCY RESPONDERS PREP FOR AGGRESSIVE BEES

Following a fatal attack in October by Africanized bees in Dougherty County, emergency responders are gearing up to meet the challenge.

ALBANY, GA --- After a Dougherty County man's death from stings of Africanized honey bees last year, emergency officials are preparing to learn how to deal with the problem.
Story 0 Comments Font Size: ALBANY, Ga. - Africanized bees killed a man in Dougherty County last October. Authorities plan to prepare for any other hives they may stumble upon.

An "Africanized Honey Bee" workshop for emergency responders is scheduled for 9 a.m. Feb. 8 in the Albany Civic Center, 100 W. Oglethorpe Blvd.

"We have had these (workshops) about five years ago in Lee County," said Jim Vaught, Albany-Dougherty County Emergency Management Agency deputy director. "With the recent death, we thought we'd better have another.

"The workshop will equip emergency responders with background knowledge of these bees and the latest and best recommendations for handling an emergency stinging incident."

While operating a bulldozer to clear land on the 1500 block of Williamsburg Road, 73-year-old Curtis Davis stirred up a swarm of the aggressive Africanized bees that attacked and killed him.

The Africanized bees have slowly moved up from Brazil, where they were accidentally introduced in the 1950s. They immediately began inter-breeding and overcoming the gentler variety of honeybees commonly used here.

According to the sign-up sheet for the workshop, "The so-called Africanized honey bees respond to perceived threats to their nest with immediate, massive and potentially life-threatening levels of stinging behavior."

Davis' death confirmed that the aggressive bees had made their first appearance in Georgia. Since then, a hive that may be the home of other Africanized bees was found in a home off radium Springs Road, Vaught said.

The only way to tell for certain whether the bees are the deadly variety is to have their DNA tested. Vaught said the results from the East Albany hive are not back from the lab.

"We don't know how many we have in the area," Vaught said. "It is better to prepare."

So far, out of 125 seats for the workshop, 90 emergency responders, such as Albany Fire Department firefighters, police and public works staff, have signed up.

The workshop also is open to the public, but a no-cost registration is required. To register, call (229) 431-2155 or e-mail Vaught at jvaught@dougherty.ga.us. (Pete Skiba, staff writer, The Albany Herald, 1/20/11.)

RESIDENTS ATTEND BEE INFORMATION SESSION
Africanized bees killed a Dougherty County man

DOUGHERTY COUNTY, GA - Worried people who live near where Africanized bees killed a Dougherty County man this year learned how to stay safe Thursday night.

Neighbors and County Commissioner Gloria Gaines attended the information session at Eureka Baptist Church.

Beekeeper Dale Richter talked to them about the differences between European and the more aggressive killer bees and how to protect themselves.

"Run, that's the state answer. Remove yourself from the scene, get away, and inform an officials of your findings," said Dale Richter, Bee Keeper.

73-year-old Curtis Davis was killed in October when he disturbed a hive on Williamsburg Road.

It was the first time Africanized bees were found in Georgia.

Monday state officials announced they found more killer bees in two managed colonies not far away on Honeysuckle Drive. (WALB-TV News 10 News, 12/14/10.)

MORE AFRICANIZED BEES CONFIRMED

ALBANY, GA -- State officials have discovered more Africanized bees in South Georgia. The Georgia Department of Agriculture has found and destroyed two additional colonies.

Back in October a South Georgia man died after being attacked by the aggressive insects. Since then the state has trapped and tested several bees. They destroyed two colonies near the site of the attack.

UGA Entomologist Keith Delaplane says now that the bees are here people need to know what to do if they encounter them.

"What they need to do is run. They don't run. They stand and swat and so what we try to do is plant the idea if you run into a nest of stinging insects like that you've got to linearly run away."

Delaplane says the bees will still pollinate and produce honey but will also interbreed with the common European honeybee. State officials hope beekeepers can help control the population by maintaining healthy hives of European bees. (Josephine Bennett, Georgia Public Broadcasting News, 12/14/10.)

MORE AFRICANIZED BEES DISCOVERED IN DOUGHERTY COUNTY

ALBANY, GA - More Africanized bees have hives in Dougherty County.

Tests by the state revealed two more bee colonies are the Africanized variety. The state set several traps after 73-year old Curtis Davis killed by hundreds of bee stings when his a bulldozer hit a hive on Williamsburg Road. Both the new Africanized bee hives were found in managed colonies, not far from the colony that attacked Davis. The state is still waiting for more test results as experts decide what to do to educate people on the risks of these aggressive bees.

The results on sampled bees following the fatal Africanized bee attack in October are in and for at least one Dougherty County Commissioner they're disturbing.

"I've heard of these bees over time, I just never thought they'd be here in Dougherty County, just never thought they'd be here," said Dougherty County Commissioner Gloria Gaines.

With two more colonies testing positive for the Africanized variety on Honeysuckle Drive, not far from Williamsburg Road where 73 year old Curtis Davis was killed, its enough for the community to be concerned.

"We want the public to know, just be aware, I use that word a lot, but be aware and be cautious," said Beekeeper Dale Richter.

The Africanized variety swarm more frequently, they've very defensive and once they attack, the bees may chase you for a quarter mile. The good news is with freezing temperatures, bees are dormant right now and not traveling far from their hives, giving officials from the University of Georgia, The Department of Agriculture, and local bee keepers time to manage the bees.

"We are working on programs where they can be taken care of and managed," said Richter.

In fact the state will rely on bee keepers as their best defense to the Africanized bees. "They can watch their bees and know if something is occurring and that will in a manner of speaking keep the Africanized bees out and from taking over," said Richter.

The two colonies on Honeysuckle Drive where the bees tested positive have been destroyed. The state is still waiting on results from more samples taken in the region and the county has pledge to learn all they can about these bees.

"This is something extraordinary, this is something new for us but, we've got to stay on top of it," said Gaines.

Keeping public safety a top priority, to ensure what happened to Curtis Davis doesn't happen to anyone else. Agriculture Commission Tommy Irvin says it's still unclear how the Africanized bees arrived in Dougherty County.

The South Dougherty County Community League, neighbors who lived near Curtis Davis will hold a meeting Tuesday night to learn more about the bees and what to watch for in their neighborhood. (Jennifer Emert, WALB-TV News, 12/13/10.)

AFRICANIZED BEES STILL UNDER STUDY IN DOUGHERTY CO.

Citizens need to be on alert for Africanized bees

ALBANY, GA -- Dougherty County Commissioners want you to remain alert, two months after Africanized bees killed a Dougherty County man.

NASA Scientists are trying to predict where the bees might turn up next and to figure out how they got to southwest Georgia. They were surprised when the bees first turned up in Dougherty County instead of southeast Georgia. Researchers continue to test bees in our area.

Bee expert Dale Richter was asked to come before the county commission today to update them on the situation and let them know where they need to go from here. They're planning on training after the first of the year for first responders and utility employees making sure everyone knows what to do if they encounter a beehive.

People in Melvin George's neighborhood are on edge since learning the bees that killed neighbor Curtis Davis in this field on Williamsburg Road may have also been in the pillars that were removed from his Lily Pond Road home.

"We're going to put more emphasis from an organizational point concerning bees," said Melvin George, a neighbor.

Beekeeper Dale Richter plans to speak to their community group. Richter has been busy with hives like this one found under a tractor at Grand Island and just last week this hive discovered inside the walls of an East Albany home. Between 50 and 60 bees have been tested.

"We haven't found anything at this point we are waiting on some samples to come in that may give us some different news," said Richter.

A lot of questions still haven't been answered.

"Why are they in Dougherty and how did they get here?" said Dougherty County Commissioner Gloria Gaines.

NASA scientists have been modeling where the bees were found and where they might go, using imaging and weather patterns.

"The theories are that they could have come up through Florida, hitch hiked onto a truck or anything," said Richter.

Either along Highway 91 or Highway 19, or from migratory bee keepers traveling though. Either way, it's an all new ball game when it comes to handling bees.

"Our responsibility is to try to disseminate that information to the public and make sure that they are aware that these bees are here," said Gaines.

Which is why Commissioners urge people to heed the warnings and run the other direction if they spot a hive, leaving it to the professionals to handle.

Beekeepers expect some more results later in the week on bees that have been tested. They say it gets difficult with cooler temperatures to continue trapping the bees because they won't fly when temperatures are cooler than 48 degrees.

The South Dougherty County Community League will meet with Beekeeper Dale Richter December 14th. He warns that Africanized bees will build nests in the ground and in trees. He says anyone moving or clearing debris need to be cautious.

The University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Service has a publication on Africanized honeybees that is available online or at Extension offices.

Here is more information from the Georgia Department of Agriculture:

Africanized Honeybees

• Are very defensive of their nest (also referred to as a colony or hive).
• Respond quickly and sting in large numbers.
• Can sense a threat from people or animals 50 feet or more from nest.
• Sense vibrations from power equipment 100 feet or more from nest.
• Will pursue a perceived enemy ¼ mile or more.
• Swarm frequently to establish new nests.
• Nest in small cavities and sheltered areas.
• Possible nest sites may include empty boxes, cans, buckets, or other containers; old tires; infrequently used vehicles; lumber piles; holes and cavities in fences, trees, or the ground; sheds, garages and other outbuildings; and low decks or spaces under buildings.

General Precautions

• Be careful wherever bees may be found.
• Listen for buzzing - indicating a nest or swarm of bees.
• Use care when entering sheds or outbuildings where bees may nest.
• Examine work area before using lawn mowers and other power equipment.
• Examine areas before penning pets or livestock.
• Be alert when participating in all outdoor sports and activities.
• Don't disturb a nest or swarm - contact a pest control company or your Cooperative Extension office.
• Teach children to respect all bees.
• Check with a doctor about bee sting kits and procedures if sensitive to bee stings.
• Remove possible nest sites around home and seal openings larger than 1/8" in walls and around chimneys and plumbing.

As a general rule, stay away from all honeybee swarms and colonies. If bees are encountered, get away quickly. Do not stand and swat as this will only invite more stings. If you are stung, try to protect your face and eyes as much as possible and run away from the area. Take shelter in a car or building, and do not worry if a few bees follow you inside. It is better to have a few in the car with you than the thousands waiting outside. Hiding in water or thick brush does not offer enough protection.

What to Do if Stung

• First, go quickly to a safe area.
• Scrape - do not pull - stingers from skin as soon as possible. The stinger pumps out most of the venom during the first minute. Pulling the stinger out will likely cause more venom to be injected into the skin.
• Wash sting area with soap and water like any other wound.
• Apply an ice pack for a few minutes to relieve pain and swelling.
• Seek medical attention if breathing is troubled, if stung numerous times or if allergic to bee stings.

Don't Forget!

Hives of European honeybees managed by beekeepers play an important role in our lives. These bees are necessary for the pollination of many crops. One-third of our diet relies on honeybee pollination.

People can coexist with the Africanized honeybee by learning about the bee and its habits, supporting beekeeping efforts and taking a few precautions.

• Africanized honey bees swarm more frequently than other honey bees.
• Unlike typical hives that swarm once every 12 months with a new queen going off with the swarm and the old queen staying behind, Africanized honey bees may swarm as often as every 6 weeks and produce a couple of separate swarms each time.
• Since Africanized honey bees swarm more often, the likelihood of encountering a swarm increases significantly.
• Africanized honey bees are less selective about where they nest than European honey bees. They will occupy much smaller spaces than other hives and have found in old tires, overturned flower pots and mailboxes.
• Regardless of myths to the contrary, Africanized honey bees do not fly out in angry swarms to randomly attack unlucky victims.
• However they defend a much larger territory than European honey bees and are extremely aggressive when protecting their territory and their brood.
  

If attacked, RUN. Do not stop to help others. However, small children and the disabled may need assistance. As you are running, pull your shirt over your head to protect your face, but make sure it does not slow your progress. This will help keep the bees from targeting your head and eyes.

Continue to RUN. Do not stop running until you reach shelter.

Do not jump into water. The bees will wait for you to come up for air.

If you are trapped, cover up with blankets, sleeping bags, clothes or whatever is available.

Do not swat at the bees or flail your arms. Bees are attracted to movement and crushed bees produce a smell that will attract more bees.

If you have been stung more than 15 times, or are feeling ill, or if you have any reason to believe you may be allergic to bee stings, seek medical attention immediately.

The average person can safely tolerate 10 stings per pound of body weight. This means that although 500 stings can kill a child, the average adult could withstand more than 1,100 stings.

When you reach shelter or have outrun the bees, remove all stingers. When honey bees sting, it leaves its stinger in the skin. This kills the bee so it can't sting again, but it also means the venom continues to enter the wound for a short time.

DO NOT PULL OUT STINGERS WITH TWEEZERS OR YOUR FINGERS. This will squeeze more venom into the wound. Instead, scrape the stinger out using your fingernail, the edge of a credit card, a dull knife blade or other straight-edged object.

If you see someone being attacked by bees do not attempt to rescue someone being attacked by bees yourself! Encourage them to run away or seek shelter.

Call 911 to report a serious stinging attack. (Dale Richter, WALB News, 11/29/10.)

EXPERT: DEADLY BEES LIKELY HITCHED RIDE FROM FLORIDA

ALBANY, GA - A master bee keeper who has been actively involved in researching the state's first-ever report of Africanized honey bees says that the bees likely arrived in Dougherty County by hitching a ride on a vehicle headed north from Florida.

On October 11, 73-year-old Curtis Davis was killed after being swarmed by bees as he was attempting to clear some land in unincorporated Dougherty County. The bees, who were exterminated and sent to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the state department of Agriculture and the University of Georgia for testing, were later confirmed by those entities to be the more aggressive Africanized Honey Bee.

Monday, Dale Richter, a master bee keeper who exterminated the bees and has been involved in researching their migratory patterns, told the Dougherty County Commission that it isn't likely that the bees migrated into Southwest Georgia on their own.

"We're trying to figure out how they got here," Richter told the commission. "Given that location's proximity to U.S. 19...they could've hitched a ride onto a vehicle headed North up from Southern Florida and hopped off when the vehicle made a stop."

Richter said he's been in near constant contact with state and federal authorities, including NASA.

"The game has changed," Richter said. "No one believed we would see them here first. Everyone was focused on Lowndes County because there are some colonies near the Georgia line."

The slightly smaller but fiercely more aggressive species of bees has been taking over and running off the more docile European honey bee colonies throughout South and Central America for decades.

According to information obtained from NASA - who has tracked the migrations of the bees because of their possible effect on climate change - the bees first appeared in Southern Texas in 1990 and now have known colonies from South Florida, Louisiana, Texas, Arizona, New Mexico and California.

While they are a member of the honeybee family, Richter said Monday that they have tendencies more like that of Yellow Jackets in that they often have nests in the ground or low to the ground and their eagerness to swarm and attack.

"Whereas the European honey bees will follow you for a short distance if you walk up on their nest, the Africanized bees will chase you much farther...up to quarter or half-mile away," Richter said. "And, another thing, if you think you can jump in a pool or something and they'll leave you alone...they'll just sit there and hover above the water waiting for you to pop up to the surface."

The bees have caused residents in the Southeastern Dougherty County area where the attack occurred to be fearful and uneasy, an area resident said.

Melvin George, head of the South Dougherty Community League, said Monday that bees had been spotted at various places throughout the area and that residents were nervous.

"They're in our neighborhood and we're very concerned," he said. "In our neighborhood we have tractors and we're just concerned that if they are prone to nesting in the ground that this could happen again while we're out working the land."

Richter says that while the presence of the bees did surprise many in the entomology community, it's not something to panic over.

"They (Africanized bees) can be managed," Richter said. "People do it all the time. We're just going to have to be more aware now."

While it may sound simple and silly, Richter advised people to simply run as fast as they can if they come into contact with a swarm of bees and avoid the temptation to stand idle and swat the bugs away. (Honeybees are vital for pollination of many flowering plants and crops. (J.D. Sumner, Albany Herald, 11/29/10.)

BEE ATTACK VICTIM SAYS HE'S LUCKY TO BE ALIVE

EDINBURG, TX - He lays in the hospital bed still hooked up to an IV. Computers monitor all of his vitals. He says he wasn't supposed to live through it. He doesn't know how he survived.

It was supposed to be another day cutting grass. Another day enjoying the outdoors, but the sky quickly darkened for Richard Guerra.

"I heard this big humming sound. I looked. It was a black cloud of bees," said Guerra.

It was half the size of a person. There were thousands of angry bees ready to strike. Guerra tried to run away. "They were on me quick. I mean really quick."

He couldn't escape. The bees covered his face and hands, filled his ears. His body weakened. His heart started giving out. His kidneys shut down.

Guerra was on the property about a half-mile from his house. As the bees were attacking him, he said he only had one request. "I didn't want to die alone. I said, 'Please don't let it end like this. If I'm going to die, let me die surrounded by family.'"

Somehow, Guerra found his cell phone and called his mother for help.

"When I saw that blue car coming down the road with the sun shining on it, I thought that was the most beautiful thing i had ever seen," said Guerra.

His family didn't know if he'd survive. Grandchildren filled the hospital walls and shelves with best wishes.

"They're real nice. As a matter of fact, they kept my spirits up real high," said Guerra.

Not all the grandchildren could see their grandfather at the hospital because they were too young to go upstairs. It's against hospital rules.

So, CHANNEL 5 NEWS delivered a video message from grandpa to them. The grandchildren said they're relieved to see him doing better.

"We wanted him to get better soon. We wanted him to get better so he could come home for Thanksgiving," grandchildren Lauren and Brynan Perez said.

Thanksgiving may be too soon for release, but Guerra said he will have a new outlook for Christmas.
"Being a man of 58 years old, going through what I went through, I believe in Santa Claus, put it that way," said Guerra.

Guerra is expected to make a full recovery.

Firefighters from the Linn-San Manuel Fire Department cleaned up the area using a mixture of soap and water to suffocate the bees, which turned an old doghouse into their home. (Erica Proffer, KRGV-TV 5 News, 11/24/10.)

CAMELBACK MOUNTAIN CLIMBERS ESCAPE BEE ATTACK

PHOENIX, AZ - Bees attacked two out-of-state rock climbers Saturday afternoon as they tried to climb the north face of Camelback Mountain, authorities said.

Phoenix fire avoided a potentially dangerous and long air rescue had a separate climber not helped the two being attacked, said Capt. Scott McDonald, a fire spokesman.

The experienced climbers were climbing a mountain designated route in Echo Canyon around 3 p.m. when they reached the third pitch of a four-pitch climb, McDonald said.

This is area is known by local climbers to have bees, including the spot where the climbers were attacked.

"They kept their wits about them and set up a rope to rappel down the mountain," McDonald said.

They got down about 100 feet, but were still at least 50 to 100 feet above the ground when they ran out of rope, he said. "This whole time, they were being stung by bees."

Another climber helped the climbers set up another rope and make it to the base, where Phoenix fire was waiting.

"It would have been hours for us to get to that spot, if it weren't for the citizen stepping up and helping," McDonald said. Although the climbers were stung multiple times, no one was transported to the hospital.

Phoenix fire hasn't responded to a bee attack in a while, McDonald said.

Traditionally, reports of bee attacks happen in the springtime, he said. (Ofelia Madrid, The Arizona Republic, 11/20/10.)

BEES ATTACK TWO PEOPLE IN GREEN VALLEY

GREEN VALLEY, AZ --- A Green Valley woman was in serious condition Saturday after she was attacked and stung dozens of times by bees while on a walk. A neighbor who attempted to help her also was stung.

The bees attacked the 72-year-old woman about 8:30 a.m. in the 600 block of Rio San Pedro, in north Green Valley, according to Green Valley Fire District spokesman Chuck Wunder. A neighbor draped a tablecloth over himself and attempted to rescue the woman, who was stung 75 to 100 times.

Both people were under attack when a fire crew arrived. GVFD firefighters sprayed foam and the bees flew off.

The woman was stung on the upper chest, neck and head and was taken to a Tucson hospital in serious condition but was expected to survive.

"The attack was pretty serious," Wunder said.

The man was stung a few times but did not require hospitalization.

Firefighters did not find a hive in the area and said the swarm could have been transient.

Bee experts say that since Africanized bees migrated to Arizona in 1993, all bees in the state have become Africanized and are much more aggressive.

In August, an Arivaca couple was attacked while trying to remove a hive from their property. Both were allergic to bees and airlifted to Tucson.

In 2009, a man was stung an estimated 1,000 times when he and his dog were swarmed near their home in central Green Valley while on a walk. The man recovered, but the dog died in the attack. (Dan Shearer, Green Valley News, 11/20/10.)

BEES STING FOUR HUNTERS AND A DOG
Hunting party ATV drove over a nest in southwest Palm Beach County

PALM BEACH COUNTY, FL --- A hunting party of four and their dog were stung by a swarm of bees after driving over a nest in an all-terrain vehicle in southwest Palm Beach County, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

At least one woman was in the hunting party in the Holey Land Wildlife Management Area on Friday, FWC spokeswoman Gabriella Ferraro said.

The four people got stung about 15 times each but their dog got the worst of it, according to Palm Beach County Fire Rescue Captain Don DeLucia.

"Really the victim is the dog [because the bees] stung the dog multiple times but the dog appears to be recovering," Ferraro said. "They are not sending it to a veterinarian and they refused medical treatment themselves."

It's 'general gun season' with hogs, armadillos, raccoons, migratory birds, coyotes, squirrels, rabbits and quail among the game being hunted, Ferraro said.

Authorities could not identify the type of bees that swarmed the hunters. (Wayne K. Roustan, Sun Sentinel, 11/19/10.)

FIRE CONTAINED NEAR BREVARD PRESCHOOL, BEES SEND FIREFIGHTERS TO HOSPITAL

Firefighters said they're continuing to monitor a brush fire that was reported near Mustard Seed Kidz Preschool.

WEST MELBOURNE, FL --- Firefighters have cleared the scene of a brush fire that was reported near a West Melbourne preschool on Wednesday.

The fire was reported about 4:45 p.m. Wednesday, in a wooded area between the Mustard Seed Kidz Preschool and Quail Run Mobile Home Estates on Eber Road, Brevard County Fire Rescue Lt. Jeff Taylor said.

About 10:20 p.m., Taylor said crews had cleared the scene. In a statement, he said firefighters would "monitor the area periodically" Wednesday night, and return in the morning "to extinguish the fire completely."

"All hot spots are located within the burn area and should pose no threat to surrounding areas," Taylor said. "Smoky conditions are expected in the area overnight and drivers are urged to use caution if visibility is affected."

Crews initially responding at the scene said the fire was about 50-by-50 yards, and was slow-moving. However, firefighters were hindered in their efforts to combat the blaze by a swarm of bees.

Taylor said two firefighters were transported to Holmes Regional Medical Center with multiple stings. He said one remained hospitalized in stable condition late Wednesday, while the other was able to return to the scene.

Crews called the Division of Forestry to the scene, and their combined effort was enough to contain the fire, Taylor said.

Taylor said the Florida Highway Patrol was advised that traffic on nearby Interstate 95 may be impacted by smoky conditions. However, the roadway remained open late Wednesday. (Jeff Weiner, Orlando Sun Sentinel, 11/10/10.)

KILLER BEES INFEST WOMAN'S HOME

HOUSTON, TX -- Tens of thousands of Africanized bees decided to make a new hive in southeast Houston. The only problem is they decided to build their home inside the walls of a woman's house.

Over the last six months, Arma Lanier Marion realized she had a problem on her hands -- Africanized bees.

And they've made themselves at home.

"And in the bathroom, I don't know how they get in there," Marion said. "And the few I've seen in there, and I'm blessed I got some spray."

Concerned neighbors called the city, which gave Marion a week to get rid of the bees. But prices were out of her range.

"When you're on a fixed income, that is kind of hard," Marion said.

A local company is neutralizing the hazard free of charge.

Once the wall was pried opened, the numbers were enormous. Hive after hive was removed.

The bees were vacuumed off the honey comb and sent into a cage. Some were even scraped out by hand.

"You would've never thought in a million years, you were sleeping with the hive from hell," Claude Griffin with Gotcha Pest Control joked with Marion.

After several hours, crews removed tens of thousands of bees and six pounds of honey. The next step was for another set of crews to come in and re-brick this wall.

Now, Marion is glad that the buzz surrounding her house has finally died down.

"It's a big relief, and it's a blessing," she said. (Erik Barajas, KTRK-TV 13 News, 11/6/10.)

BEE ATTACK KILLS HORSES

BROWNSVILLE, TX ---- Thousands of bees swarmed two horses that unknowingly threatened their hive, in a severe bee attack.

The horses were tied to trees in an open field on the 5900 block of Southmost Road. The owner of the horses did not see a massive bee hive in a rusty trashcan and tire, hidden in the brush next to the trees.

The owner left the animals to graze before the attack happened, according to a spokesperson for the Brownsville Health Department.

The first horse died shortly after the attack. The second horse was treated, but eventually died due to numerous bee stings. The hive and bees were removed and taken to the city landfill. Health officials suspect the bees are African honeybees. (Cristina Rendon, KRGV-TV News 5, 11/4/10.)

STATES BRACE FOR KILLER BEES

CHATTANOOGA, TN --- Experts say the "killer bees" like those that killed a South Georgia man in October could migrate as far north as Atlanta and even make seasonal visits to Tennessee.

Tennessee officials already are preparing emergency responders in case the swarms head north.

"We're literally dealing with a new species in a new area, and we don't know how far up they are coming," said Bill Owens, a master craftsman beekeeper in Monroe, Ga., and a spokesman for the Georgia Beekeepers Association.

On Oct. 11, 73-year-old Curtis Davis was killed in Dougherty County near Albany, Ga., after he accidentally disturbed a colony of Africanized honeybees and was stung more than 100 times, according to The Associated Press. State Agriculture Commissioner Tommy Irvin issued a statement saying the incident was the first record of the so-called killer bees in Georgia.

Tennessee state bee expert Mike Studer said he and others are putting together training for emergency responders in the Volunteer State. He said he doesn't think the killer bees could form permanent colonies because of Tennessee's cold winters, but it is possible they could migrate north seasonally.

"Kind of like a wave, they would come up in the summer and leave in the winter," Studer said.

Keith Delaplane, a bee expert with the University of Georgia, issued a statement saying he believes the Dougherty County attack was "an isolated incident and (the bees) are not established in the state."

Delaplane explained that killer bees are the result of an experiment in Brazil more than 50 years ago. Scientists cross-bred the more-docile European honeybees common across the United States with their African cousins. The Africanized honeybees have been present in the United States since October 1990 and have been confirmed in Florida since 2005.

While physically similar to European bees, the African variety is "extremely defensive and responds with a massive stinging reaction with little provocation," Delaplane wrote. The venom is the same, but they overwhelm their victims by sheer quantity of stings.

"If they're African, they will follow you in great number; they're all going to come after you," said Studer, who said he had seen cases in which the bees chased people for a mile and hovered above lakes waiting for people to surface.

Owens said "it wasn't a surprise at all" that the bees were found in the Peach State. It was only a matter of time after they were discovered in Florida, he said.

While the bees' natural spread eventually may bring them north, Owens and Studer are more immediately concerned about a hive being transported by cargo trucks or vehicles.

Three weeks ago, Studer was contacted about an aggressive swarm on a cargo truck in Knoxville. The bees were killed and tested, but turned out to be European.

"We are looking for it," he said.(Andy Johns, Chattanooga Times Free Press,11/1/2010.)

KILLER BEES NOT A CURRENT THREAT

ATLANTA, GA --- Africanized or killer bees are not expected in the Atlanta area for several years. Concern over killer bees continues to grow after an Albany man was killed in early October. Officials with the Georgia Beekeepers Association say the bees will migrate north but the fear is unnecessary.

Bill Owens, with the association, says the bees may survive in Georgia.

"We're not one hundred percent sure how far north they're going to travel. Basically we're dealing with a new species coming into a new geographic area. At this point we're confident they'll make it to the Atlanta area but how much further we just don't know. As far as them progressing, finally reaching the Atlanta area, it's going to be years."

Georgia beekeeper and member of the association, Virginia Web disagrees. She says bees won't make it through north Georgia's winter because the Africanized honeybees don't have the tendency to stay in the hive, cluster and stay warm. (Courtney Ward, Georgia Public Broadcasting, 11/1/10.)

CONCERNS OF KILLER BEES BUZZING IN BRAZOS VALLEY

BRYAN, TX --- The removal of 40,000 European bees from one Bryan Residents backyard has sparked a growing concern over killer bees. And with swarming season in full effect, news threes Nicole Morten talks to the experts who are urging residents to be take precaution.

Throughout the year in Texas, we have right around 500,000 colonies of bees on the move," explains Paul Jackson, Chief Apiary inspector with Texas Agrilife Extension.

"When a homeowner or someone call us and says a swarm of bees are moving into our area, we'll say in November, we will be pretty sure those will be Africanized bees," says Jackson.

More notoriously known as 'Killer Bees', Africanized bees are a hybrid of European bees and honeybees.

"African bees are on the move 12 months out of the year in the state of Texas."

Jackson says the tiny insects tend to sting with little provocation.

"They do not like perfume, hairspray or cologne, all it takes is just you casting your shadow and once they sting you, with a European bee, you may get four or five bees after you, whereas an Africanized bee you may get 50-100 or more bees after you, they react really quickly to the pheromone," says Jackson.

Similar to European bees, or honeybees, killer bees tend to make a home in empty, dry places like sheds and of course trees. With deer season in effect, Jackson says the bees also enjoy making a colony in deer stands.

Earlier this week, beekeeper Chuck Durham removed 40,000 bees from one Bryan residents backyard.

"These folks that live in this house asked us to come and remove the hive out of the tree, the bees were fairly docile."

Although the bees Durham removed were European bees, both experts share the same word of advice, "Call the exterminator and have them removed from your property." (Nicole Morten, KBTX News 3, 10/30/10.)

WHEN BEES GO FROM NUISANCE TO DANGER

HEREFORD, AZ --- For a couple of months, James Talbot and his family had been living with a colony of bees that had established a hive in an open space under their Hereford home.

"They weren't bothering us at all," said Talbot. "They just went about their business and left us alone, so we really weren't that concerned they were here."

But Tuesday evening, that changed. The bees aggressively attacked the family dog, stinging him so severely, the 7-year-old Walker coonhound died not long after the attack. In addition, Talbot's 12-year-old son was stung four times.

That's when Reed Booth, also known as "The Killer Bee Guy," was contacted to help with the situation.

On Wednesday afternoon, Booth and his assistant Art Velarde arrived at the Talbot home to take care of the problem.

"For some reason, the bees are meaner than ever this year," said Booth, who has been in the bee removal business for 20 years now. "More people are getting stung than in past years and bees are becoming more aggressive."

In most situations, Booth attempts to remove the entire bee colony from a property where the bees are a concern. He transports them to his own property and uses them for honey production. But in this case, since the bees had already attacked, they were actively swarming around the hive and were so aggressive, he was forced to kill them.

"All bee situations are dangerous and are a bomb waiting to go off," warned Booth. "When you see a ball of bees hanging in a tree, swarms or hives, get them removed before an attack happens."

All honeybees in Arizona are now killer bees, he added.

After getting a call about a bee problem, Booth goes out to the site to evaluate the situation. After he figures out his approach, he returns to the area and removes the bees, if possible. "I take them home and put them to work," he said. Booth owns Killer Bee Honey, a small shop in Old Bisbee that sells a variety of honey products.

Reed receives between three and five calls a day from people requesting his services. Cost for removing or eliminating the bees depends on a number of factors, including the size of the colony and distance to the property.

He is recognized around the country because of his appearances on a number of TV networks. (Dana Cole, The Sierra Vista Herald, 10/27/10.)

SAFETY TIPS

• It's illegal in Arizona to have a known nuisance beehive on your property. You must have the bees removed, Reed Booth said.
• An average hive has 40,000-50,000 bees.
• About 12 people die every year in the U.S. from bee attacks.
• If attacked by a swarm, cover your face and run for the nearest shelter, whether it's a car or building. Do not jump in water.

CONSTRUCTION WORKERS ATTACKED BY BEES IN TUCSON

TUCSON, AZ - Several construction workers stung by bees on the northside of Tucson, near Cortaro and Silverbell roads.

They were working on a home when somehow they stirred up some bees living in the house.

"Next thing you know they started swarming," says Danny Bealer, a roofer that was stung. "I'm sure it was a man knocking on the roof. I had a guy up above and I heard people running off the roof and they started swarming toward me. I've gotten severe stings."

Several workers were stung multiple times.

Northwest firefighters sprayed the bees and it seemed to take care of the problem. Everyone was treated on the scene and no one went to the hospital. (Christina Stymfal, KOLD-TV News 13, 10/22/10.)

AFRICANIZED HONEYBEES FOUND IN GEORGIA

Georgia man killed in bee swarm

DOUGHERTY COUNTY, GA --- Entomological tests have confirmed that Africanized honeybees were responsible for the death of an elderly man in Dougherty County last week. News reports say the man accidentally disturbed a feral colony of bees with his bulldozer and that he received more than 100 stings.

"This is the first record of Africanized honeybees in Georgia," said Agriculture Commissioner Tommy Irvin.

Africanized honeybees are a hybrid of African and European honeybees. Because of their extremely defensive nature regarding their nest (also referred to as a colony or hive), they are sometimes called "killer bees." Large numbers of them sometimes sting people or livestock with little provocation.

The Africanized honeybee and the familiar European honeybee (Georgia's state insect) look the same and their behavior is similar in some respects. Each bee can sting only once, and there is no difference between Africanized honeybee venom and that of a European honeybee. However, Africanized honeybees are less predictable and more defensive than European honeybees. They are more likely to defend a wider area around their nest and respond faster and in greater numbers than European honeybees.

Africanized honeybees first appeared in the U.S. in Texas in 1990. Since then they have spread to New Mexico, Arizona, California, Nevada, Utah, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, Florida and now Georgia. Entomologists and beekeepers have been expecting the arrival of these bees in Georgia for several years. There has been an established breeding population in Florida since 2005.

Because Africanized honeybees look almost identical to European honeybees, the bees from the Dougherty County incident had to be tested to accurately ascertain they were the Africanized strain. The Georgia Department of Agriculture sent samples of the bees to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services which has the capability to do FABIS (fast African bee identification system) testing and the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture identification test (the complete morphometrics test) to confirm the bees' identity.

Africanized honeybees are the result of an experiment that went awry in Brazil in the 1950s. Researchers were trying to create a honeybee better suited to tropic conditions. A few of the African bees escaped and began hybridizing with European honeybees. The hybrid "Africanized" honeybees (so named because they get their extremely defensive nature from the African honeybee) began colonizing South America and Central America, then Mexico and the U.S.

"Georgia beekeepers are our first and best line of defense against these invaders. They are the ones who will be able to monitor and detect any changes in bee activity," said Commissioner Irvin.

"The Georgia Department of Agriculture is going to continue its trapping and monitoring of bee swarms to try to find where any Africanized honeybees are," said Commissioner Irvin. "We also want to educate people about what to do in case they encounter a colony of Africanized honeybees. Georgians can visit our website for more information. The University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Service has a publication on Africanized honeybees that is available online
or at Extension offices." (PRESS RELEASE from the Georgia Department of Agriculture, 10/21/10.)

Here is more information from the Georgia Department of Agriculture:

Africanized Honeybees
• Are very defensive of their nest (also referred to as a colony or hive).
• Respond quickly and sting in large numbers.
• Can sense a threat from people or animals 50 feet or more from nest.
• Sense vibrations from power equipment 100 feet or more from nest.
• Will pursue a perceived enemy ¼ mile or more.
• Swarm frequently to establish new nests.
• Nest in small cavities and sheltered areas.

Possible nest sites may include empty boxes, cans, buckets, or other containers; old tires; infrequently used vehicles; lumber piles; holes and cavities in fences, trees, or the ground; sheds, garages and other outbuildings; and low decks or spaces under buildings.

General Precautions
• Be careful wherever bees may be found.
• Listen for buzzing – indicating a nest or swarm of bees.
• Use care when entering sheds or outbuildings where bees may nest.
• Examine work area before using lawn mowers and other power equipment.
• Examine areas before penning pets or livestock.
• Be alert when participating in all outdoor sports and activities.
• Don't disturb a nest or swarm – contact a pest control company or your Cooperative Extension office.
• Teach children to respect all bees.
• Check with a doctor about bee sting kits and procedures if sensitive to bee stings.
• Remove possible nest sites around home and seal openings larger than 1/8" in walls and around chimneys and plumbing.

As a general rule, stay away from all honeybee swarms and colonies. If bees are encountered, get away quickly. Do not stand and swat as this will only invite more stings. If you are stung, try to protect your face and eyes as much as possible and run away from the area. Take shelter in a car or building, and do not worry if a few bees follow you inside. It is better to have a few in the car with you than the thousands waiting outside. Hiding in water or thick brush does not offer enough protection.

What to Do if Stung

• First, go quickly to a safe area.
• Scrape – do not pull – stingers from skin as soon as possible. The stinger pumps out most of the venom during the first minute. Pulling the stinger out will likely cause more venom to be injected into the skin.
• Wash sting area with soap and water like any other wound.
• Apply an ice pack for a few minutes to relieve pain and swelling.
• Seek medical attention if breathing is troubled, if stung numerous times or if allergic to bee stings.

Don't Forget!
Hives of European honeybees managed by beekeepers play an important role in our lives. These bees are necessary for the pollination of many crops. One-third of our diet relies on honeybee pollination.
People can coexist with the Africanized honeybee by learning about the bee and its habits, supporting beekeeping efforts and taking a few precautions.

• Africanized honey bees swarm more frequently than other honey bees.
• Unlike typical hives that swarm once every 12 months with a new queen going off with the swarm and the old queen staying behind, Africanized honey bees may swarm as often as every 6 weeks and produce a couple of separate swarms each time.
• Since Africanized honey bees swarm more often, the likelihood of encountering a swarm increases significantly.
• Africanized honey bees are less selective about where they nest than European honey bees. They will occupy much smaller spaces than other hives and have found in old tires, overturned flower pots and mailboxes.
• Regardless of myths to the contrary, Africanized honey bees do not fly out in angry swarms to randomly attack unlucky victims.
• However they defend a much larger territory than European honey bees and are extremely aggressive when protecting their territory and their brood.

If attacked:
• RUN. Do not stop to help others. However, small children and the disabled may need assistance.
• As you are running, pull your shirt over your head to protect your face, but make sure it does not slow your progress. This will help keep the bees from targeting your head and eyes.
• Continue to RUN. Do not stop running until you reach shelter.
• Do not jump into water. The bees will wait for you to come up for air.
• If you are trapped, cover up with blankets, sleeping bags, clothes or whatever is available.
• Do not swat at the bees or flail your arms. Bees are attracted to movement and crushed bees produce a smell that will attract more bees. If you have been stung more than 15 times, or are feeling ill, or if you have any reason to believe you may be allergic to bee stings, seek medical attention immediately.
• The average person can safely tolerate 10 stings per pound of body weight. This means that although 500 stings can kill a child, the average adult could withstand more than 1,100 stings.

When you reach shelter
• When you reach shelter or have outrun the bees, remove all stingers. When honey bees sting, it leaves its stinger in the skin. This kills the bee so it can't sting again, but it also means the venom continues to enter the wound for a short time.
• DO NOT PULL OUT STINGERS WITH TWEEZERS OR YOUR FINGERS. This will squeeze more venom into the wound. Instead, scrape the stinger out using your fingernail, the edge of a credit card, a dull knife blade or other straight-edged object.

If you see someone being attacked by bees
• Do not attempt to rescue someone being attacked by bees yourself!
• Encourage them to run away or seek shelter.
• Call 911 to report a serious stinging attack.

BEES ATTACK NORTHEAST EL PASO FAMILY

EL PASO, TX -- Bees attack a northeast El Paso family and they're afraid their family dog may not live.

The attack happened last Tuesday morning and witnesses said there were so many bees, the sky looked dark.

The bees targeted the Watson's family dog, Buster. As David Watson and his wife rushed to the back yard to rescue him and their other dog, they were attacked as well. But Buster got the brunt of it.

"We opened the side gate while she was spraying the hose, drug him out of the yard, the bees follow him, we go to the front yard, we're still hosing him down. He lays on the side of the garage. It was so bad he couldn't even get up anymore," said David.

A friend helped by taking Buster to a nearby veterinarian while the Watson's found themselves trapped inside the house for almost three hours until the bees went away.

Now, they're looking at a $1,200 vet bill that may or may not save Buster.

Watson hired a pest control company only to find out that the bee hives are not on his property. They are in the back yard of the house behind him.
(Monica Balderrama. KFOX-TV News. 9/15/10.)

TEXAS MAN RECOVERS FROM HUNDREDS OF BEE STINGS

KYLE, TX --- A Texas man is recovering from a bee attack that left him with more than 1,200 stings and his body still bruised two weeks later.

Lamar LaCaze of Kyle says he thought he was going to die during the Aug. 31 attack as he was mowing a field. The 65-year-old barber managed to get off a tractor and used his cell phone to call his son for help.

Trey LaCaze told the San Marcos Daily Record that when he arrived his father "looked like a bee hive on his head."

Lamar LaCaze spent a week hospitalized. Emergency room personnel pulled more than 1,200 stingers from his body. Bees had gotten into his ears, nose and mouth.

Relatives believe the bees had been living in an old water heater in the field. (Associated Press, 9/14/10.)

KYLE MAN ATTACKED BY 1,200 BEES

KYLE, TX -- He'll remember those approximate 60 minutes for the rest of his life.

Lamar LaCaze spent more than an hour being attacked by bees, he told KENS 5.

He was doing some work on his property when all of a sudden his face was covered with bees.

LaCaze called his wife without success and then phoned his son who didn't answer either. Trey LaCaze called his father back and could hear the swarm of bees. Trey used water to douse his father, but it didn't help much.

A neighbor tried to help with a fire extinguisher and found himself under attack too. Finally, firefighters arrived with foam and saved the day. (James Muñoz, KENS TV News 5, 9/13/10.)

TUCSON MAN STUNG BY BEES MORE THAN 100 TIMES

TUSCON, AZ --- The bee attack happened in the 9000 Block of E. Chickamaunga at about 10:45 a.m., according to a Tucson Fire Department press release.

Tucson Fire responded to a call from a man in his 80's saying that he had been in his back yard when a swarm of bees attacked him. The man went inside and calmly called 911 stating that he been stung hundreds of times.

When firefighters arrived, the man was inside his home with his dog and hundreds of bees. The man had been stung multiple times and was taken to a nearby residence for treatment and transport to a local hospital.

Injuries were serious, but non-life-threatening. Firefighters also removed the dog from the home and neighbors provided care for the pet, while the owner was at the hospital.

It is unclear exactly what provoked the bees to attack, but there was a large hive located in the brick wall on the east side of the home dividing two yards.

There was also an electric lawn mower that was plugged in and may have played a role in provoking the bees to attack.

A bee removal company removed the bees from the property. (Sarah Sanchez, KOLD-TV NEWS 13, 9/10/10.)

Safety Reminders from the Tucson Police Department

Do's and Don'ts:

DO check your property regularly for bee colonies. Honey bees nest in a wide variety of places, especially Africanized honey bees. Check animal burrows, water meter boxes, overturned flower pots, trees and shrubs.

DO keep pets and children indoors when using weed eaters, hedge clippers, tractor power mowers, chain saws, etc. Attacks frequently occur when a person is mowing the lawn or pruning shrubs and they inadvertently strike a bee's nest.

DO avoid excessive motion when near a colony. Bees are much more likely to respond to an object in motion than a stationary one.

DON'T pen, tie or tether animals near bee hives or nests.

DON'T destroy bee colonies or hive, especially with pesticides. Honey bees are a vital link to U.S. agriculture. Each year, pollination by honey bees adds at least $10 billion to the value of more than 90 crops. They also produce about $150 million worth of honey each year.

DON'T remove bees yourself. If you want bees removed, look in the yellow pages under "bee removal" or "beekeepers".

DON'T try to exterminate the bees yourself. Most people do not have the necessary safety equipment to remove bees. Past attempts of people trying to exterminate bees themselves have led to serious injury and death in some cases in the United States. This is extremely dangerous and you are advised to leave this to a professional exterminator.

What to do if you are attacked:

1. Run as quickly as you can away from the bees. Do not flail or swing your arms at them, as this may further annoy them.

2. Because bees target the head and eyes, cover your head as much as you can without slowing your escape.

3. Get to the shelter or closest house or car as quickly as possible.

Don't worry if a few bees become trapped in your home. If several bees follow you into your car, drive about a quarter of a mile and let the bees out of the car.

When to call the Fire Department:

Call 911 when emergency medical services are needed. If someone has been stung by many bees at once or has an allergic reaction to a bee sting, call 9-1-1.

Call 911 if someone has become trapped in a building or car with lots of bees. Fire trucks are equipped with foam that can be sprayed on the bees to drown them.

DO NOT call 911 to remove bee colonies or hives that are not attacking. If you would like to get the bees removed, you can call for a local bee removal specialist. (KOLD-TV News 13, 9/10/10.)

TWO HORSES EUTHANIZED AFTER BEE ATTACK

Coyote Springs, AZ --- Two horses were euthanized Monday after being attacked by a swarm of thousands of bees in Coyote Springs just off Kelly Road.

When firefighters answered the call at 4 p.m., they found a swarm of thousands of bees in a field attacking three horses who were covered in large welts, said Charlie Cook, spokesman for the Central Yavapai Fire District.

"Firefighters used 2,000 gallons of water and foam to try to get the bees away from the horses," Cook said. "The bees only attacked the three new horses that arrived at the ranch last week."

The property is a large horse ranch with 100 horses, Cook said.

A veterinarian on the scene treated three horses, but two of them were so badly injured that they were euthanized, Cook said.

A beekeeper came to help remove bees as well, Cook said.

"When firefighters tore down the walls of a wooden barn, they found multiple hives," Cook said. "One hive was two feet wide, five and one half feet tall and six and one half inches deep."

The owner of the place said he knew there were bees in the barn, but they never bothered him, any other people or the animals so he just left them alone, Cook said.

"This is one of the worst bee calls we've been called out for," Cook said.

Cook said firefighters with bee protection headgear, one engine, and a battalion chief were on the scene for two hours taking care of the problem.

The Central Yavapai Fire District recommends that if you find bees on your property in a wall or other unusual place that you call a beekeeper or bee removal service to take care of the problem properly.

"If bees attack people or animals, all firefighters can do is foam them and kill them," Cook said. "A beekeeper can properly remove bees to a place where they can be beneficial and used to pollinate fruit trees and other crops." (Lisa Irish, The Daily Courier, 8/31/10.)

FAMILY TALKS ABOUT SURVIVING BEE ATTACK

TOLLESON, AZ --- Children, covered in blankets, were rushed out of their west valley home near 121st Avenue and Southern after a bee attack Monday night.

Three adults, several horses and dogs were stung over and over again, up to more than a hundred times.
According to the victims, the swarm came out of nowhere as they'd never seen more than a couple of bees on the property before.

One man was allergic to bee stings and collapsed after the attack. All three adults were later released from an area hospital.

"I ran around the back of the part house and the boys were standing on the front porch, I told them to go inside..Chris grabbed them and I actually ran over here and threw myself in the mud..I put mud all over my body," said Desiree Reindel.

"It was pretty crazy, I mean it hurts all over your body and stuff..as soon as they started stinging me I felt the reaction to their venom..and I just started closing up..started breathing heavily..couldn't really do it very good..it was something else," said Christopher Luft, Reindel's fiance.

Firefighters rescued the kids from the house by covering them in sheets, and fought the bees with foam.
One horse had welts all over his body from the stings, while three dogs were stung to death. One dog is still recovering. Reindel says the veterinary bills are up to $3,200 dollars.

The family is devastated about the loss of their dogs, but grateful that their children are okay. (KSAZ-TV News 10, 8/31/10.)

PEOPLE STUNG BY BEES AT DANIA BEACH PARK

DANIA BEACH, FL --- Four people, including two young children, were treated for bee stings today in Dania Beach.

The group of two adults and two young children were visiting Greenbelt Park at Northwest 10th Griffin Road in Dania Beach when they were stung.

The children were taken to Broward General Medical Center as a precaution.

The Broward Sheriff's Office has asked county maintenance workers to evaluate the bee situation at the park. (Lisa Bolivar, CBS-TV 4 News, 8/30/10.)

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