County agent talks about bees in Emery County

By
DENNIS WORWOOD

Living With Africanized Honey Bees
It’s official. Africanized, or so-called “killer” bees have made it to Emery County. DNA testing of bees collected last fall in Green River and Huntington revealed that they were hybrids of African and European strains. This sounds alarming but isn’t the end of the world. People in southern states have been living with Africanized honey bees for over 25 years. This does mean that we need to show bee colonies a little more respect, and know what to do if attacked by bees defending their hive.
African honey bee queens were brought to Brazil in 1956 by researchers hoping to develop hybrid bees that would out-perform regular European honey bees in a tropical climate. Some of the queens escaped, and within a few years locals complained of honey bees that were extremely aggressive when defending their hives or colonies. Africanized bees spread steadily northward, reaching the U.S. border in 1990. By 2008 Africanized bees were identified in southern Utah. Besides Emery County, Africanized bees have been found in Washington, Iron, Kane and San Juan Counties. Researchers speculate that winter cold will eventually stop the northward march of Africanized bees, but no one yet knows how far they will spread.
Africanized bees look identical to regular honey bees. This is not surprising since African and European bees are different strains of the same species. DNA testing is the only way to tell whether a bee is Africanized or European. Compared to European bees, Africanized bees produce less honey and collect more pollen. Africanized bees swarm (divide to create a new colony) more often than regular honey bees, which helps explain their rapid spread. Africanized honey bees are much more likely than European strains to attack when a human or animal approaches or disturbs their hive or colony. A European bee colony may send out 10 to a few dozen soldier bees to deal with an intruder. An Africanized colony may send out thousands of soldiers, and pursue the intruder for a half mile or more. Like any honey bee, each Africanized bee can sting only once. Their venom is no more toxic than that of a European honey bee, but the sheer number of stings inflicted earned “killer” bees their nickname.
Honey bees do a lot of good. Besides producing honey, they play a critical role in crop pollination. Scientists estimate that one of every four bites of food we eat was made possible by bee pollination. To keep things in perspective, we are four times more likely to be killed by lightning than by bees. There has been only one confirmed case of Africanized bees attacking a human in Utah, and that person survived. Still, the possibility of extra aggressive bees means that we should give hives and feral bee colonies a wide berth. Bee keepers need to take extra precautions are needed before handling hives or feral bee colonies.
An average person can survive up to 10 bee stings per pound of body weight. People who are allergic to bee venom can be killed or severely injured by only one sting. Most fatalities associated with Africanized bees have been very young, elderly or people otherwise unable to get away from the bees. Pets and livestock confined near a hive or wild (feral) bee colony may be stung repeatedly by agitated Africanized bees.
It is not unusual for bees to swarm, especially in spring and early summer. Swarms are often seen as large clusters of bees clinging to a tree limb or the side of a building. Swarming bees, whether European or Africanized, are not dangerous. They are usually very docile since they have no home to defend. Contact a beekeeper if a swarm shows up on your property; most are happy to collect swarming bees.
European honey bees usually select large cavities off the ground for feral colony sites. Examples include hollow trees, attics, openings in walls of building and the like. Africanized bees utilize the same sites, but will also occupy much smaller cavities and may nest at or below ground level. Feral Africanized bee colonies have been found in sprinkler valve boxes, bird houses, crawl spaces, barbecue grills, old tires, electrical boxes, under decks, or in the eaves of buildings, among other places. If you find an established feral bee colony, contact a bee keeper or pest control professional. Do not attempt to destroy or remove the colony yourself.
Bee keepers and pest control operators should notify people living in the vicinity before attempting to relocate or destroy a bee colony. People should stay indoors, and pets or livestock that might be stung if the colony is Africanized should be relocated. At a minimum, any person or animal within 150 yards of the colony should be protected. Other guidelines suggest that anyone within one quarter mile should take precautions.
If you are attacked by bees, cover your head and face and leave the area as quickly as possible. Do not wave your arms, as this may agitate the bees further. Do not swat bees, since crushing releases a chemical that invites more bees to attach. Seek shelter in a building or car. Do not attempt to submerge yourself in water to escape the bees; they will linger for some time and sting you when you come up for air.
Remove stingers by scraping them with a credit card, fingernail or knife blade. Do not use fingers or tweezers to grasp and remove stingers as this will squeeze more venom into you. Apply an ice pack or cold compress to stings. Call 911, and seek medical assistance if you have been stung multiple times.