Africanized bees a growing problem in southwest Florida
May 26, 2009 by admin
Filed under Our Wildlife Services
State seeks to eradicate, or limit these colonies
Africanized bees are over taking the wild populations of European bees in Florida. Thats why the state advises 
residents to exterminate feral colonies found on properties close to people.
“Public safety is ultimately our goal,” said Jerry Hayes, chief of the apiary section of Florida’s Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
“Three or four years ago, the bees we were finding might show 20 to 30 percent Africanization. Now it’s 60 to 80 percent.”
Southern and southwest Florida has a higher density of the bees than other parts of the state, he said. That’s probably because the area resembles Central and South America, where Africanized bees started in this hemisphere.
“Beekeepers are not part of the problem,” Hayes said. “We don’t want them zoned or ordinanced out of being. But having more managed colonies will not stop Africanized bees from expanding.”
information was used from http://www.news-press.com/
Todd on Mon, 1st Jun 2009 11:18 am
Its really scary to think that there are so many killer bee hives in southwest Florida. Most will never be discovered unless they are close enough to be encountered by humans. I’ve read that the safest thing to do if you are attacked by a swarm of bees is to cover your face and run until they quit following you.