Africanized Bees: Danger in Numbers : The Full Impact of the Highly Aggressive, ‘Killer’ Variety Will Be Felt in 4-5 Years in Orange County
Africanized bees, which closely resemble European honeybees, are not called killer bees because of the poison in their sting. In fact, the sting of an Africanized bee is no worse than the sting of a regular bee. Neither is likely to sting when foraging. There’s a good chance you’ve seen killer bees pollinating your plants.
Africanized bees are easily irritated and become aggressive at the slightest indication that their hive is threatened. They cannot hear, but are sensitive to vibrations passing into the hive, 100 feet or more from the nest, such as from a lawn mower, leaf blower or chain saw, which can cause them to send out thousands of bees to attack.
The bees have only recently begun to colonize in Orange County, says Richard Meyer, district assistant manager for the Orange County Vector Control District in Garden Grove.
“We won’t see the full weight of their impact for the next four to five years; the problems they’re causing now will be dramatically amplified in the future.”
The Orange County Vector Control District has decided not to be involved in direct control of Africanized bees. “We are concentrating our efforts on pests that carry disease, such as rats, mosquitoes and flies, and bees don’t carry disease,” Meyer says.
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To date, killer bees haven’t been much of a problem, says David Marder, owner of Beebusters in Laguna Beach, which specializes in bee removal.
“I receive 20 to 60 calls a day, and a minute percentage end up being Africanized honeybees,” he says. “I think at the moment [that] everyone is overreacting.”
Because Africanized bees are unpredictable and their rate of proliferation is unknown, it’s best to remain cautious. Keep the following safety tips in mind.
* Tread carefully around possible nesting sites, including empty boxes, cans, buckets, 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.
* Listen for buzzing, indicating a nest or swarm of bees. Don’t disturb a nest or swarm--contact a pest control company.
* Teach children to be cautious and respectful of all bees.
* Check with a doctor about bee sting kits and procedures if sensitive to bee stings.
* Bee-proof your home by sealing any openings that are larger than an eighth of an inch.
* If a swarm of killer bees attacks, run to a safe area such as indoors or a car. Notify a pest control operator and seek medical aid, if needed.