Honey Bees

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BEE SAFE!

Protect yourself, your family, home and property from honey bees.

AFRICANIZED AND EUROPEAN HONEY BEES

Africanized honey bees are well established in the wild population of honey bees in Texas. The Africanized bee is a hybrid (mixture) of African and European honey bee subspecies. Both are not native to the Americas. As a hybrid the Africanized bee appears identical to European honey bees. Individual foraging European and Africanized bees are highly unlikely to sting. A swarm rarely stings people when in flight or temporarily at rest. However, established Africanized colonies are more highly defensive toward perceived predators than European colonies.

SIMILARITIES

  • Look the same
  • Protect their nests from predators by stinging
  • An individual bee can sting only once and then dies
  • Have the same kind of venom
  • Pollinate flowers, produce honey and wax

AFRICANIZED BEES

  • Respond quickly to disturbances by people and animals 50 feet or more from the nest.
  • Sense vibrations from power equipment 100 feet or more from the nest.
  • Sting in large numbers.
  • Will chase an enemy up to a ¼ mile or more.
  • Have a higher rate of reproduction (swarm more frequently).
  • Nest in smaller cavities and sometimes underground (e.g. water meters and animal burrows).

POTENTIAL NESTING SITES

Bees will choose a nesting site in many places where people may disturb them. Nesting cavities may include: buckets, cans, empty boxes, old tires, or any container ranging in volume from as little as 2 to 10 gallons and more. Bees will also choose infrequently used vehicles, lumber piles, holes and cavities in fences, trees, and the ground, in sheds, garages, and other outbuildings between walls or in the open, low decks or spaces under buildings. REMOVE POTENTIAL NEST SITES AROUND BUILDINGS.

Call an exterminator if you find bees on your property. Do not attempt to exterminate them yourself.

GENERAL PRECAUTIONS

  • Listen for buzzing and look for bees entering or leaving the same area indicating a nest or swarm of bees.
  • Carefully enter sheds and outbuildings where bees may nest.
  • Examine work areas prior to using noisy power equipment such as lawn mowers, weed cutters, and chain saws.
  • Examine areas for bees before tying up or penning pets and livestock.
  • Watch for bees when outdoors.
  • Never disturb a swarm or colony of bees – contact a pest control company or your local Cooperative Extension Agent.
  • Teach children to be caution around and respectful to all bees.
  • If you know you are allergic to bee stings check with your doctor about a sting kit.
  • Have a bee safety plan in place for your family.

BEE PROOFING YOUR BUILDINGS AND YARD

  • Remove potential nesting sites.
  • Inspect outside walls and eves of your house and other buildings.
  • Seal opening greater than1/8-inch in walls, around chimneys, pluming, and other openings.
  • Install screens (1/8-inch hardware cloth) over rain spouts, vents, cavities of trees and fence posts, water meter/utility boxes, etc.
  • From spring through the fall inspect once or twice per week for bee activity around your house and yard.

WHAT TO DO IF YOU FIND BEES ON YOUR PROPERTY

  • STAY AWAY FROM ALL HONEY BEE SWARMS AND COLONIES.
  • GET AWAY FROM BEES AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
  • WHILE RUNNING AWAY PROTECT YOUR FACE AND EYES AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.
  • TAKE SHELTER IN AN ENCLOSED AREA SUCH AS A CAR, TRUCK OR BUILDING.
  • CALL A LOCAL BEEKEEPER, PEST CONTROL COMPANY, OR LOCAL COOPERATIVE EXTENSION AGENT FOR ASSISTANCE.
  • DO NOT HIDE IN WATER OR THICK BRUSH.
  • DO NOT STAND STILL AND SWAT AT BEES; RAPID MOVEMENTS WILL CAUSE THEM TO STING.

WHAT TO DO IF STUNG

  1. GET AWAY FROM BEES AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. GO TO A SAFE AREA AWAY FROM THE BEES SUCH AS INSIDE A CAR, TRUCK OR BUILDING.
  2. PULL OR SCRAPE STINGS FROM SKIN AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. MOST VENOM IS RELEASED WITHIN 1 MINUTE.
  3. WASH STUNG AREAS WITH SOAP AND WATER LIKE ANY OTHER WOUND TO PREVENT INFECTION.
  4. APPLY ICE TO RELIEVE PAIN AND SWELLING.
  5. SEEK MEDICAL ATTENTION IF BREATHING IS DIFFICULT, IF STUNG MANY TIMES, OR IF ALLERGIC TO BEE STINGS.