Africanized Honey Bees in Florida
April 14, 2009 by admin
Filed under Our Wildlife Services
According to a 2005 public advisory from the Florida Department of Agriculture, Africanized Honey Bees (AHB) have been present in the Tampa Bay area since 2002. They probably arrived through ports, on ships from Guatemala.
Over the last several years, numerous attacks on humans and animals have been reported in California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas. Emergency response agencies in these states have implemented first responder training programs as well as public education efforts. While there have been no attacks on humans reported in Florida, farm animals have been attacked.
Future encounters between AHB and humans is considered inevitable, so the best course of action is the education of the public, especially as we move into warmer weather when outside activities are more frequent.
Here are some AHB safety precautions suggested by the FDOA:
- Be attuned and alert to buzzing in your environment – this may indicate a nest or swarm of bees.
- Use care when entering sheds or outbuildings where bees may nest.
- Examine work areas before using power equipment such as lawn mowers, weed cutters, and chain saws – the noise excites bees.
- Be alert when engaged in all outdoor activities.
- Do not disturb a nest or swarm of bees, leave the area immediately, and contact Nuisance Wildlife Removal Incorporated or your county extension agent.
- If attacked by aggressive bees, run as fast as possible to a safe area. Aggressive AHBs may pursue for up to ¼ of a mile.
If stung:
- Go quickly to a safe area.
- Remove stingers by scraping – use a flicking action with a finger nail or credit card. Do not squeeze or the stinger may stay in and get infected.
- Apply ice.
- Seek medical attention immediately if breathing becomes labored.
Jody Bass on Mon, 11th May 2009 6:14 pm
i was recently in the ocala national forest ,just off NF 77, along the oklawaha river. i noticed a humming noise that was really loud… eventually i realized it was coming from a nearby tree. i saw bees flying around the area. they became aggressive so i calmy packed my truck and left the area. they actually pursued my truck for some distance. two of them got stuck in my windsheid wipers.i didn’t suffer any stings, but the group of bees gathered as they became more agrresive. i never even got within 25 feet of the tree.
i was wondering if i should report this to someone (park service??)and if the AHB’s could be this far north into florida. i will do more research and see if i can identify the ones on my windshield as AHB’s.
admin on Mon, 18th May 2009 5:55 am
Always report agressive bees.
Thanks
Eric on Thu, 23rd Jul 2009 7:34 pm
In Forest Park, IL, I opened the top of a double hung window – the screen was on the bottom. A black bee flew in and touched my cheek, I pushed the bee outside the window where I noticed about 8 or so bees and closed the window. As soon as the window was closed, more bees appeared and the bees started hitting the glass and stinging the glass leaving a wet residue on the glass. There was what looked like a wasp nest above the window, but these things were not wasps. They kept hitting the glass and stinging, it sounded like rain hitting a skylight, and the bees were leaving wet marks, like small rain drops on the glass. These bees kept up this activity for at least 20 minutes, and slowed down when it got darker, it was at the end of the day. I have never seen anything like this.
Anna on Tue, 13th Oct 2009 10:47 pm
Hopefully, hopefully they are able to eradicate them. We have so many introduced nasties here in Australia like fireants, cane toads etc. it really messes with the local ecology.