‘Killer Bees’ Found in State a 2nd Time

A second migrating swarm of Africanized “killer bees” has entered California, officials said Thursday.

The swarm--relatively harmless because it had not yet established a hive--was discovered atop a “no trespassing” sign at a school in the Imperial County community of Heber. It was destroyed without incident.

The bees were discovered a week ago and later confirmed as Africanized honeybees--the notorious, hyper-defensive type that have been migrating north from Brazil since they were mistakenly released from an apiary in 1957.

The first migrating swarm of Africanized bees to reach California was discovered last October at a state prison near Blythe. That swarm also was destroyed.

For years, authorities have anticipated that the bees would move toward the California coast along several possible routes, including westward from Yuma, Ariz., where they were detected in 1993. But the desert environment slowed their long-anticipated arrival in Imperial County.

Bill Routhier of the state Department of Food and Agriculture speculated that the bees found at Heber may have migrated along irrigated fields just across the border in Mexico. Heber is 10 miles north of the border and six miles south of El Centro. Officials assume that other Africanized bees may be in the area but have escaped detection.

“Their next significant westward barrier is the coastal mountain range between El Centro and San Diego,” Routhier said. “Bees don’t like mountains. But they’ll have all spring and summer to continue their migratory path.” A proliferation of wildflowers caused by recent rains will aid their movement, he said.

The bees discovered near Blythe six months ago moved northward from Yuma along the Colorado River, authorities believe.