Warning for Arizona area riders

[KMG_365]

For those of you riding in and around Arizona, the Southwest, and now most of the southern states including as far east as Florida, the Phoenix Fire Department has issued a specific warning about bee swarms this spring.

 

Two people just walking down the sidewalk in PHX were recently attacked by a swarm of bees estimated to be around 10,000 strong. Both women were hospitalized and there have been other attacks recently in the greater area. Africanized (or "killer") bees are known to be more easily disturbed and more annoyed by motorized noises near their hives. Unlike the European bees which now have been almost entirely hybridized and supplanted in the Southwest by these new strains, the "Killer Bees" got their nickname by their propensity to pursue identified threats for long distances (over a mile in some cases! ), attack with far less provocation, with more ferocity and in far larger numbers for longer periods of time.

 

Despite the history of sensationalistic media reports most annual deaths from bee stings are due to an allergy to bee venom, not from attacks by huge swarms of "killer bees". Not that I'd prefer to survive being hospitalized with 1000's of bee stings if I could avoid getting stung at all.

 

The other main difference is that the KB's are more likely to attack even when swarming than European bees. You may see them hanging in a clump or traveling in a huge cloud. Even without a hive to defend these new bees should be given a wider berth.

 

Just a head's up to keep your eyes open in Africanized bee country. If you have a known bee allergy be sure to carry your Epi-Pen with you, put a tag on your tank bag or wear an emergency alert bracelet/necklace letting us know of your allergy. Epi-pens also expire and the Epinephrine/Adrenaline can be damaged by extreme heat. They should be checked regularly and replaced as needed. If you're allergic, it only takes ONE bee sting to severely ruin your day--especially if you're in the middle of nowhere. If your friend or riding buddy carries one, find out where they carry it and be familiar with how to use it. Yes, you can inject it right through clothing, but be sure to avoid any pads or armor in your buddy's riding gear . . . you ALL wear armored riding gear, right? All The Gear All The Time!

 

Also, deerskin leathers and some other thicker pants can be a problem so consider opening riding pants or cutting them off if necessary. If you're getting out your buddy's Epi-Pen, time is of the essence since they can DIE very quickly from anaphylaxis and saving their riding gear is the last of your worries. There is probably a set of trauma shears in your new, fancy First-Aid kit you just bought!

 

Oh, and ICE your cell phone!

 

[Kathy R]

Thank you so much Jamie. I'm going to share this with my family in that area.

[AZKomet]

yep....many of them are stinging the crap out of locals. Thanks.

[Groanup]

Oh, and ICE your cell phone!

 

Done and DONE!

Thanks, I had never thought of that before. What a great idea!

[Krakken]

Wow.... Thanks for the heads up, Jamie. I have two close friends who are allergic to bee stings. I'll pass this info along.

[Francois_Dumas]

Okay, scratch Arizona from my list. Any other places you have these cuties??

[johnlt]

Yep, had a hive of them under the eves of my roof. Had to get exterminator out. I've also seen and heard the swarms going by. My wife keeps a epi handy too. I just sic them on the rattlesnakes.

[Lmar]

Are there more of them this year than usual? What part of Arizona are they concentrated in?

 

 

[Joe Frickin' Friday]

Africanized (or "killer") bees are known to be more easily disturbed and more annoyed by motorized noises near their hives...the "Killer Bees" got their nickname by their propensity to pursue identified threats for long distances (over a mile in some cases! ), attack with far less provocation, with more ferocity and in far larger numbers for longer periods of time.

 

How odd - I was under the impression he liked motorized things and was actually quite hospitable. OTOH, his avatar does make him appear to be a tad grumpy:

 

 

[David13]

I ran into a swarm at a stoplight the other day, on Western just south of Sepulveda. Right in the middle of the road.

Nasty.

dc

[Bob Palin]

 

How odd - I was under the impression he liked motorized things and was actually quite hospitable. OTOH, his avatar does make him appear to be a tad grumpy:

 

 

I'm only really dangerous when I'm floating like a butterfly.

[AdventurePoser]

Interesting post, Birthday boy...the Flame and I are going to be in Southern Arizona touring for a week beginning 4-2-10. I'm now officially adding KBs to my list of things to worry about in Southern Arizona!

 

Steve in So CAl

[azkaisr]

My plan to keep you KOOKY KALIFORNIANS out of here is working!!!

[** Chris **]

I ran into the Killer Bees once at the Cactus Cafe in Austin. Show was sold out so we climbed up the scaffolding and in an though an open balcony window. I didn't realize they were still together. Much less touring Arizona.

 

I did hear they performed in College Station recently.

 

Killer Bees

 

[eddd]

In the Lower Rio Grande Valley we keep killer bees on ice.

 

Killer Bees

[eddd]

On a more serious note...

 

We've been dealing with killer bees for many years here in deep south Texas. The media hype and resulting paranoia is a thing of the past for us.

 

Bee attacks are almost always caused by someone operating a lawn mower, string trimmer, or tractor with a brush hog and the person unknowingly getting too close.

 

We've only responded to a handful of bee attacks in recent years.

[bobbybob]

Just returned from AZ where I rented a cottage for a month just south of Tucson. One morning while soaking up the early sun, bees started annoying me, landing on me, flying into my face. I just happened to glance up at the hummingbird feeder (filled with sugar water) and it was completely covered by what must have been hundreds of bees, crawling all over each other. They were sort of a brownish color, not yellow, and VERY agressive. I went indoors and later that evening after they left I removed the feeder. They came back looking for it for a couple of days but finally gave up, I guess.

 

Sound like KB's?

[Twisties]

They were sort of a brownish color, not yellow, and VERY agressive.

 

I was wondering if the honeybees I photographed in AZ were KB's. So I did some checking... You can't tell by looking. All honeybees in infested areas are presumed Africanized.

 

The aggressive behavior and tendency to swarm are characteristic however. More, the swarms will follow you for up to a mile. You did the right thing to go in.

 

Only honeybees are Africanized.

 

As Ed says, most issue is when they are disturbed as he indicates. They may nest in the ground.

 

The bees I photographed behaved normally, though some were certainly Africanized, but they were solitary foragers. From what I have read, they are not too likely to be a problem, though more so than a normal European bee. Maybe a little more easily angered, and a more aggressive response.

 

The real danger is swarms. If you see a swarm you must get to shelter or get away immediately.

[KMG_365]

Okay, scratch Arizona from my list. Any other places you have these cuties??

Well according to the geographic spread map on Wikipedia they're all across the southern states and still spreading east and north:

 

As of 2002, the African honeybees had spread from Brazil south to northern Argentina and north to South and Central America, Trinidad (West Indies), Mexico, Texas, Arizona, New Mexico, Florida and southern California. Their expansion stopped for a time at eastern Texas, possibly due to the large number of European-bee beekeepers in the area. However, discoveries of the bees in southern Louisiana indicate this species of bee has penetrated this barrier, or has come as a swarm aboard a ship. In June 2005, it was discovered that the bees had penetrated the border of Texas and had spread into southwest Arkansas. On September 11, 2007, Commissioner Bob Odom of the Department of Agriculture and Forestry said that African honey bees established themselves in the New Orleans area. In February 2009, African honeybees were found in southern Utah.

 

The situation in AZ is supposedly due to the increased rain and plentiful food supply increasing their numbers.

 

So Tom, is THAT why we never got an invitation to witness your nuptials? And here I THOUGHT you loved us! Besides, we could be there in only four and a half hours!

 

 

(If I was on the back of Leslie's bike! )

[Albert]

I really don't understand why researchers haven't cross bred these insectile thugs with bees from say, Canada or Belgium.

[notacop]

I had a nest of them try to take up residence in my porch eves. Took me a couple weeks of sealing all the possible entries to finally do them in. Persistent little buggers. Worse yet is dipatching them when there is a distinct bee die off in the americas. A perfect case of NIMBY! And I don't even live in Azarona.