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move trash until you first check if bees are leather and the embed-
flying in and out. Beekeepers are the best defense Americans ded stingers contain alarm chemicals that
have against Africanized honey bees. Citizens and further aggravate the bees.
• Keep an escape route in mind. Never crawl into
lawmakers need to understand this. In the fear
an enclosed place from which you cannot • Use white-faced veils instead
that accompanies the arrival of Africanized bees,
Africanized
quickly exit. of black. Africanized bees are
some groups may want to ban beekeeping in their
• Operators of open-cab tractors are especially at attracted to dark objects, and
municipalities. Without beekeepers, the density of
risk from hidden in-ground colonies. Keeping a white outer surface mini-
docile European bees in an area will decrease,
a veil on hand is a good safety precaution. mizes bees massing on the
Honey Bees
leaving that area open to infestation by
veil and obstructing your
Africanized bees. It is equivalent to “abandoning
If You Are Attacked territory to the enemy.” Only beekeepers have the
vision. The interior side of
the netting should be black
Run away or get indoors as fast as possible if knowledge and resources to maintain high densi-
to minimize glare.
you are attacked. Never stand in one spot and ties of European bees that can genetically dilute
swat because this only aggravates bees further and Africanized populations. • Smoke hives heavily before entering them; the
increases the number of stings you may receive. bees are difficult to calm once angered.
Be aware that bees may follow you for hundreds of Tips for Beekeepers
yards. Do not stop running to hide yourself under If Africanized bees move into an area, bee-
Acknowledgments
water or in leaves, brush or a crevice because bees keepers will have to change their management Gratitude is expressed to David De Jong, Ph.D.,
are likely to find you and inflict numerous stings. habits. If you keep bees in an Africanized area, University of São Paulo, Brazil, and Eric Mussen,
The single most important thing is to get away observe the following: Ph.D., University of California, who made useful
from the colony! comments on this document.
• Register every colony with the state Depart-
After an Attack ment of Agriculture.
When a bee stings, the stinger and poison • Re-queen a colony with European stock any
sack remain in the skin of the victim, even after time it becomes unusually defensive. The University of Georgia and Ft. Valley State Univer-
the bee flies away, and venom continues to be • Mark queens so you can later confirm their sity, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and counties
of the state cooperating. The Cooperative Extension
pumped into the skin. After you have safely es- identity.
Service, the University of Georgia College of Agricul-
caped the bees, remove stingers from your skin by • Do not place hives near penned animals, tural and Environmental Sciences offers educational
scraping or brushing them out. The venom of a sidewalks, playgrounds or similar high-traffic programs, assistance and materials to all people with-
single Africanized sting is no more toxic than a areas. out regard to race, color, national origin, age, gender
European bee (in fact, it’s a little less so). The dif- or disability.
• Plant bushes or place barricades around the
ference is a matter of dose. Instead of a dozen or An Equal Opportunity Employer/Affirmative Action
edges of apiaries. This forces bees to fly above
so stings, victims of Africanized bees can sustain Organization Committed to a Diverse Work Force
head level and reduces the chance of them
stings in the hundreds. Most people can tolerate
flying into people or livestock. Bulletin 1290 January
anuary,, 2006
15-25 stings without requiring special medical
treatment. Pain, redness and swelling are normal • Keep colonies at least 2 yards apart to discour-
age disturbed bees from exciting neighboring Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work,
at a sting site and this does not constitute an aller- Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, The University of
gic reaction. People with a history of systemic colonies.
Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental
allergic reactions (fainting, trouble breathing), • Beekeepers may need to re-think the practice Sciences and the U.S. Department of Agriculture
however, should always carry with them an emer- of combining several hives on a pallet because cooperating.
gency kit of injectable epinephrine, use it if they the vibration from working one hive disturbs J. Scott Angle, Dean and Director
them all. For this reason, beekeepers in Latin