3 days ago
Swarm of ‘defensive' bees spotted in Alabama, officials say. How to stay safe
A wild group of Africanized honeybees, known as killer bees due to their defensive behavior, was collected by beekeepers in Alabama, officials said.
The bees were found in Barbour County and humanely euthanized to protect the state's other honeybee populations, the Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries said in a June 30 news release.
'There is no reason for public concern at this time, but we are treating this situation seriously,' Commissioner of Agriculture & Industries Rick Pate said in the release. 'Our team is actively collaborating with local beekeepers and entomology experts to ensure swift detection and appropriate response.'
Officials said they put traps within a five-mile radius of where the bees were originally found to further monitor bee populations.
Barbour County borders Georgia and is about an 80-mile drive southeast from Montgomery.
What are Africanized honeybees?
A crossbreed of African and European honeybees, Africanized honeybees are known for their 'more defensive behavior,' according to the Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries.
These types of bees swarm more often, nest in more locations and respond in higher numbers when provoked, officials said.
'If I'm working around one of my European honey bee colonies and I knock on it with a hammer, it might send out five to 10 individuals to see what's going on. They would follow me perhaps as far as my house and I might get stung once,' Jamie Ellis, a professor of honey bee research at the University of Florida, told USA Today.
With an Africanized colony, however, 50 to 100 individuals would be sent out in response to the same thing, and they'd follow him further and sting him more, Ellis told the outlet.
An encounter with a swarm of Africanized honeybees can produce more stings, making them more deadly in some cases, according to experts.
Between 2011 and 2021, an average of 72 deaths per year came from hornets, wasps and bee stings, according to the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
What to do if you encounter an Africanized honeybee
According to guidance from the Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries and The University of Florida, if you see a bee or a swarm you should:
Stay away. Don't bother or remove bee colonies or any 'aggressive bee behavior' to officials. Don't swat at the the area right away. 'Cover your nose and mouth with your shirt.' Seek shelter in a building or go near a victim to help, stand away and tell them to leave.
What to do if you're stung by a bee
The University of Florida advises a person do the following if they are stung by a bee:
Scrape the stingers out with a blunt object, like a fingernail or credit the sting with soap and the sting to stop the for signs of allergic reaction, including hives, difficulty breathing and you have an allergic reaction, contact emergency personnel.
