   Africanized Honey Bees - April 28, 1999 Jeff Schalau, County Director, Agent, Agriculture & Natural Resources Arizona Cooperative Extension, Yavapai County Humans have benefitted from honey bees since prehistoric times. Besides the sweet honey, pollen, and royal jelly humans harvest from bee hives, bees also pollinate flowers of many crop plants. One-third of the food Americans eat comes directly from the pollination honey bees and other insects perform. In addition, honey bees are easily moveable and manageable to maximize human benefits. Honey bees belong to the genus Apis which comes from the word for beekeeping, apiculture, and the word for a bee yard, apiary. Apis mellifera, which means honey carrier, is the species of honey bee found in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and the Americas. The African subspecies of honey bee is Apis mellifera var. scutellata. Entomologists believe that the African subspecies developed their aggressive nature through the process of natural selection. African bees developed in a tropical climate with frequent droughts and unpredictable weather. They also have dealt with a wide array of predators including humans. Conversely, European bees developed in a colder climate having four distinct seasons, abundant water, and a dependable forage base. In addition, they have been domesticated for many years and artificially bred to have a calmer attitude. As most of us are aware, the African subspecies was introduced to Brazil for genetic research and were accidentally allowed to escape in 1957. Being the same species, they can hybridize with native honey bees. These products of hybridization are called Akiller@ bees, otherwise known as Africanized honey bees (AHB). They have retained their aggressive nature and slowly migrated north. Being adapted to harsh conditions, AHBs are more likely to abscond (leave one nesting site for another) when resources become scarce. In this way they can escape predation and limit the amount of honey that can be harvested from them. By the way, European honey bees were also introduced to North America by European settlers and became naturalized by the Nineteenth century. Africanized honey bees have been in the United States (Texas) since 1990. They were first seen in Arizona in 1993 and killed several dogs, two horses, two emus, and countless fowl and small animals in that year. In October 1995, an 88 year-old Apache Junction woman was stung approximately 1,000 times and became the first AHB fatality in Arizona. The bees were disturbed after she closed an open door on a vacant building. Africanized honey bees have been in Yavapai County for several years now and have found in Flagstaff. In fact, it is highly likely that any wild bee you come in contact should be considered an AHB. Do you need to be afraid of them? No. Do you need to be aware of them and know what to do when you come upon a colony? Yes. It's much like being aware of poisonous snakes or grizzly bears when in their habitat. Africanized honey bees pose the greatest threat to people who must work outdoors: farmers, construction workers, rangers, landscapers and yard maintenance workers, and even pest control workers. Like European honey bees, AHBs can sting only once. It is their sheer numbers that create the threat. While foraging, bees are usually not aggressive. They get most feisty when their nest is threatened. Most cases of AHB attacks have been traced back to some provocation: a lawnmower, weed eater, or tractor. The first sign of a potential attack is often a preliminary defense behavior such as flying at your face or buzzing over your head. This is a signal that you have entered their area and are seen as a threat. If bees become agitated, the most important thing to do is get away as soon as possible. Do not wait for them to calm down, try to retrieve belongings, or wave your arms to get them off you. A bee can fly at speeds from 12 to 15 miles per hour and most healthy humans can outrun them. So, RUN and KEEP RUNNING! AHBs have been known to follow people for more than a quarter mile. Any covering for your head and face will help you escape. People that have been attacked say the worst part is being stung in the face and eyes. Once this occurs, your vision will be obscured and your chance of escape substantially lowered. If you have nothing else, pull your shirt up over your face. Take refuge in a house, tent, or car as soon as possible. The bees will find any opening, so make sure all possible entrances are sealed. Do not jump into water. The bees will wait for you to surface. This article is not meant to scare you, only to better inform you. More people die of lightning strikes than insect stings. So, while reasonable precautions should be taken, the risk of serious injury or death from AHBs will remain low when compared to other threats present in everyday life. The University of Arizona Cooperative Extension has publications and information on Africanized honey bees. If you have other gardening questions, call the Master Gardener line in the Cottonwood office at 646-9113 or E-mail us at mgardener@kachina.net and be sure to include your address and phone number. |