Bees ……
Friend or Foe ????
FICTION….
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In the movie, The Swarm, great clouds
of angry bees attack entire cities and
stung hundreds of people to death. This
is pure fiction. It could never happen.
But folklore like this has arisen within
the last twenty years regarding the
Africanized Bee sometimes called
"Killer Bee".
In the beginning..
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Africanized Honey Bees (AHB) -- also called Africanized bees or
killer bees -- are descendants of southern African bees imported in
1956 by Brazilian scientists attempting to breed a honey bee
better adapted to the South American tropics.
When some of these bees escaped quarantine in 1957, they began
breeding with local Brazilian honey bees, quickly multiplying and
extended their range throughout South and Central America at a
rate greater than 200 miles per year. In the past decade, AHB
began invading North America.
Africanized bees acquired the name killer bees because they will
viciously attack people and animals who unwittingly stray into
their territory, often resulting in serious injury or death.
In May of 1991, Jesus Diaz became the first person to be attacked
by AHB in the U.S. while mowing a lawn in the border city of
Brownsville, Texas. Diaz suffered 18 stings and was treated at a
local hospital.
On July 15, 1993, 82-year-old Lino Lopez became the first person
to die in the U.S. from Africanized honey bee stings. He was stung
more than 40 times while trying to remove a colony from a wall in
an abandoned building on his ranch near Harlingen, Texas.
The Africanized bee escaped and
began to dominate the honey bee.
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The new hybrid, called
an Africanized Bee, took
many years but it
established colonies
throughout South and
Central America. The
bee is aggressive, easily
agitated, and generally
a bee with a bad
attitude.
Where are they???
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The Africanized bee as expected,
spread across the southern part of the
country, where the winters aren't so
harsh. Some scientists and
entomologists believe that the
Africanized bees will be able to adapt to
colder weather and roam as far north as
Montana.
COLONY LIFE
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The four life stages of a Africanized Bee include egg,
larva, pupa and adult. It takes about twenty-one days
for a regular worker to fully develop from an egg,
sixteen days for a queen, and twenty-four days for a
drone. Drones usually live five to ten weeks. Workers
usually live fifty days. All the workers are females
Queens live an average of one to three years.
There is only one surviving queen bee in each colony.
She mates with many drones (male bees), and may
lay 1500 eggs per day.
SWARMING
swa
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When the beehive is overpopulated,
Africanized Bees swarm to a local area to
start a new hive. Too much warm or cold
weather may cause swarming. Only one
queen bee will rule. When the two queens
reach the adult stage, they battle to the
death for control of the hive. The cycle of
swarming continues until the hive is worn
out. If you are in the path of a swarm of
Africanized Bees, you have a seventy-five
percent chance of a deadly attack.
WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENCES??
European Honey
Bees
Pollinate flowers and
crops
Calmed by smoke
Swarm only when
crowded
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Africanized Bees
•More aggressive
•Attack in larger groups
•Make less honey
•Make less wax
•Hate high pitched sounds
•Swarm more often
What causes bees to attack?
Africanized bees react to disturbance around the
hive. They can stay angry for days after being
disturbed. If one bee stings, it releases an alarm
that smells like bananas. This pheromone causes
the other bees to become agitated and sting. The
Africanized Bee, like the honey bee, dies when it
stings. The tiny barbs on the stinger stick in the
victim. When the bee tries to fly away, it rips its
abdomen and eventually dies. Under usual
circumstances, the result is discomfort for the
human but death for the bee.
The Attack!!!
An extremely aggressive Africanized bee
colony may attack any 'threat' within 100 ft.
and pursue for up to one-fourth a mile.
Generally, Africanized bees attack:
 only when the colony is threatened
 when loud noises, strong odors or fragrances,
shiny jewelry, and dark clothes are perceived
as threats
 the face and ankles
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When your attacked??
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Africanized bees are slow fliers and
most healthy people can out run them.
Run away in a straight line, protecting
your face. Avoid other people, or they
too will be attacked.
Do not try and hide underwater. The
Africanized bee swarm will wait for you
to surface.
If your stung……..
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Seek medical attention. Some people
are allergic to bee stings causing
anaphylactic shock. Since Africanized
bees attack and sting in great numbers,
it is possible that an allergic response
may be triggered.
F.A.Q……
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Q : How much honey does a European bee colony
produce compared to an African bee colony?
A: European bee colony produces five times more
honey than a Africanized bee colony.
Q : What is anaphylactic shock?
A: Most cells release histamine and other biologically
active substances. The venom promotes histamine
release from mast cells and basophils (especially in
sensitized individuals), which under the right
circumstances, can lead to vasodilation and loss of
blood pressure. If this response is not reversed within
a short time, the person may die of shock.
FAQ II
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Q : Why does one third of the U.S. food production
depend on bees?
A: Bees pollinate flowers that turn into fruit and
vegetables, plants and trees. (natural/organic foods)
Q : How does a queen bee control her nest?
A: The queen releases a pheromone that identifies
her as the queen.
Q : What happened to Brazil's honey production as a
result of the introduction of killer bees?
A: Brazil went from fourth in world honey production
to twenty-seventh by the early 1990's.
Why is the bee so angry?
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Q : Why is the Africanized bee so
defensive?
Color, size and shape are traits that
bees pass along from generation to
generation through genes contained in
cells. The Africanized bee is a
dangerous hybrid, passing down the
trait of defensiveness to each offspring.
Plans to stop them….
Entomologists in Texas are working hard to track the northward
spread of Africanized bees. The bees are tracked with traps.
Usually these traps are nothing more than cardboard boxes
covered with blue protective plastic, hung in trees. The traps are
baited with a liquid similar to the pheromone that directs a
swarm looking for a home. In Texas, more than 1,200 bee traps
have been set along hundreds of miles of roadway. European
honey bee sperm is inserted into a Africanized bee queen. The
queen is then released into the wild. Scientists are hoping the
injected Killer Bee queen will produce less aggressive bees and
pass the gene to the offspring. So far, not enough queens have
been released into the wild to determine if this plan will be
successful.
BEE VENOM
What is Bee Venom?
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Bee venom is a complex composition of
enzymes, proteins and amino acids. It is a
colorless clear liquid, with a sweet taste and a
little bitter. It is soluble in water, insoluble in
alcohol and ammonium sulphate. If is comes
in contact with air, it forms, opaque or
grayish-white crystals.
What type of conditions is
Bee venom used to treat?
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Bee venom simulates the release of cortisone (cortisol) and is
therefore effective in the treatment of rheumatic diseases,
especially arthritis and multiple sclerosis (MS). It can be applied
directly or by intramuscular injections.
Other treatments, such as electrotherapy, hormone therapy, can
help to eliminate particular deformations, improve joint
movement and raise the general state of the organism. Two
products developed in Bucharest, an ointment - Apireven - and
a liniment both have been used successfully in several cases of
rheumatoid polyarthritis. The results have shown an important
reduction in muscular pain, sciatic pain, nerve pain,
neuromialgias and intercostal and bronchial nerve pain.
Applying the venom topically can provide a long-lasting
effect and can offer significant benefits in arthritic and
rheumatic conditions.
U.S. BEEKEEPERS
WORRIED?
The bad temper of the
Africanized bee, coupled with
its ability to dominate a
honey bee region and reduce
honey bee production,
makes beekeepers anxious.
Americans eat about 275
million pounds of honey
each year. Beehive products
also include wax used in
candles, polish, and floor
wax. Scientists disagree on
the Africanized bee's ability
to adapt to new
environments nor how
widely it will range. Also of
concern is the possibility of
relocating Africanized bee
hives without causing an
The need for the Bee….
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Honey bees pollinate 1/3 of all the
worlds natural foods & more
importantly “more than ½ of all
Haagen-Dazs ice cream flavors” rely on
them.
How can I avoid an encounter with
unfriendly Africanized honey bees?
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The best safety
advice is to avoid an
encounter with
unfriendly
Africanized Bees. Be
alert for danger.
Remember that AHB
sting to defend their
colony, so be on the
look out for honey
bee swarms and
colonies.
Protecting yourself …..
Be alert for bees coming in and out of an opening such as a
crack in a wall, or the hole in a utility box.
Listen for the hum of an active bee colony.
Look for bees in holes in the ground, holes in trees or cacti, and
in sheds.
Be extra careful when moving junk that has been lying around.
Be alert for bees that are acting strangely. Quite often bees will
display some preliminary defensive behavior before going into a
full-fledged attack.
FYI…….
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When you are outdoors, in a rural area, a
park or wilderness reserve, be aware of your
surroundings and keep an eye out for bees
the way you would watch out for snakes and
other natural dangers.
Don't panic at the sight of a few bees
foraging in the flowers. Bees are generally
very docile as they go about their normal
activities.
How can I reduce the chance Africanized
honey bees will attack me if they are
around me?
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Wear light-colored clothing. Bees tend to attack dark things. Dark
clothing, dark hair, any thing dark in color could draw the animus of
AHB.
Bees are sensitive to odors, both pleasant and unpleasant. The smell
of newly cut grass has been shown to disturb honey bees. Avoid
wearing floral or citrus aftershaves or perfume.
Check your house and yard at least once a month to see if there are
any signs of bees taking up residence. If you do find a swarm or
colony, leave it be and keep family and pets away. Find a pest control
company or a local beekeeper to solve the problem.
To help prevent honey bees from building a colony in your house or
yard, fill all cracks and crevices in walls with steel wool and caulk.
Remove piles of refuse, honey bees will nest in an old soda can or an
overturned flower pot. Fill holes in the ground.
When hiking, avoid hiking off trails. Bring some bug spray, bee spray,
a GPS, and your cell phone with you just in case.
Be alert for bees acting strangely. If one or two start to bump at you,
especially at your head, take notice and possibly vacate the vicinity.
Remember…..
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It is not necessary to disturb the hive itself to initiate an AHB
attack. In fact, Africanized bees have been know to respond
viciously to mundane occurrences, including noises or even
vibrations from vehicles, equipment and pedestrians.
Though their venom is no more potent than native honey bees,
Africanized bees attack in far greater numbers and pursue
perceived enemies for greater distances. Once disturbed,
colonies may remain agitated for 24 hours, attacking people and
animals within a range of a quarter mile from the hive.
The Africanized bee is widely feared by the public, a reaction
that has been amplified by sensationalist movies and some of
the media reports. Stings from Africanized bees kill 1-2 people
per year in the United States, a rate that makes them more
dangerous than venomous snakes, particularly since, unlike
snakes, they are found only in a small portion of the country.