Seeing bees flying around can be alarming and the buzzing sound can send people into a frenzy. You need to be very careful as the buzzing sound could be coming from the nest of Africanized honey bees AKA killer bees. Getting too close could have you attacked by thousands of stinging insects. The attack of these bees is a relentless one. All bees will become more active when the weather gets warm with March through October being the months that you’re more likely to encounter Africanized bees.
Where Did Africanized Honey Bees Come From?
About 60 years ago, a Brazilian beekeeper accidentally released 26 Tanzanian queen bees and their swarms into the wild. These bees had been brought to South America from Africa in an effort to increase honey production. When they got loose, they thrived. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Invasive Species Information Center, these Africanized bees started showing up in the early 1990s. They first showed up in the southern United States. They look similar to honey bees and serve the useful function of pollinating plants. Their sting is just as potent as any other honey bee.
Why Are Killer Bees So Dangerous?
The reason they have such a bad reputation is because of the way they nest and their temperament. A swarm of bees is a bunch of bees on the move. It happens when they leave their present nest and move to a bigger one or when a new queen is produced and splits to form a new colony. Africanized bees swarm more often than other bees. Africanized bees are very dangerous because they are so aggressive and sting in high numbers. They will go after a threat for up to a quarter mile! That’s a long way to run from stinging insects. They protect their nests fiercely and will patrol a wide perimeter. It doesn’t take much for to provoke them so getting a scare from a couple of these bees should be a warning to stay away!
What to Do if Attacked By Killer Bees?
If an attack starts, the only thing you can do is run. You need to get somewhere they can’t, like a car or a building. While jumping in the water may seem like a solution, it’s not. They’ll just wait for you to come up for air. It’s a good idea to inspect your property weekly when the weather warms up and look for signs that these bees are building nests. Take care of the problem right away as they can set a nest up in no time at all. If you’ve been stung more than 15 times, are feeling ill or you think you may be allergic to bee stings seek medical help immediately. An average person can deal with 10 stings per pound of body weight-this means that an average adult can handle more than 1,100 stings, but a child could die after getting sting just 500 times.
Stinging Pest Control in Canyon Lake, Spring Branch, Bulverde, Timberwood Park, Leon Valley, Alamo Heights, New Braunfels, Selma, Live Oak, Converse, Universal City, Cibolo, Seguin, New Berlin, St Hedwig, Adkins, La Vernia, Elmendorf, Losoya, Von Ormy, Macdona & San Antonio, Texas
Call professional pest control as soon as you see activity or discover a nest. Professionals can take care of the problem and determine if a beekeeper needs to be called on to relocate them. Contact A Five Star Termite & Pest Control today!
