Swarms of Killer Bees Spread Out in Texas

Killer bees, already linked this month to one death in northern Mexico and several attacks in southern Texas, are extending their territory as they spill out of winter hives for the traditional spring swarming season, Texas officials said Tuesday.

The honey bees--a cross between African and European varieties that are known for their aggressive behavior--have been spotted in at least 24 southern Texas counties, including one about 30 miles south of San Antonio, state officials said.

Scientists predict that the recent warm Texas winter and heavy rainfall will create a highway of pollen and nectar, providing food as the bees continue moving toward central Texas.

“We expect the amount of swarming activity to be a nightmare,” said Elba Quintero, head of the U.S. Agriculture Department’s African honey bee program in Harlingen, Tex.

Killer bees have earned their name because of their propensity for vigorous swarming attacks on anything they see as a threat. Several hundred deaths in Latin America have been attributed to the bees since they first escaped from a laboratory in Brazil in 1957.

Episanio Saucedo, a 70-year-old Mexican rancher who was stung to death April 9, was considered to be the first person to die from bee stings in a Mexican state adjoining the U.S. border, officials said.

Two other people, including a young boy, were stung at a ranch house near Valle Hermoso, Mexico.