Earlier this week, two horses were euthanized after a honey bee attack in Arizona. One other horse was seriously injured. In June of this year, two horses perished after another bee attack in California.
Reading the fire chief's description of this tragic sting event sends chills through me, as we've encountered similar situations, and in most cases, could have been prevented with proper vigilance and action.
Why the owner of the horse facility would knowingly leave active honey bee colonies in a working barn leaves me scratching my head, AND, this is in KILLER BEE territory!! (I normally don't use the term "killer bee" alone, but in this case, I think it's warranted).
I encounter this attitude daily here in Florida, where we have an active and growing KILLER BEE population. We are seeing them move into Florida's prime horse country, near Ocala.( Check this blog post out from just last week, right near horse operations).
Clients often believe that since Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) has been affecting honey bee populations here in the U.S. , any wild honey bee colony found should be left alone, in order to boost bee populations. While it's true, CCD has reduced bee populations, the affected bees are only in managed bee operations, those kept by beekeepers, from huge commercial operations down to hobby beekeepers.
Feral (wild) bee populations are not affected by CCD, and are actually exploding here in Florida.
This is so important, let's see it again: Feral bee populations are not affected by CCD, and are exploding here in Florida.
Why such the increase? KILLER BEES! Yes, African Honey Bees are a vigorous race of bees, well suited for life in the subtropical clime we find here in Florida. And, they likely have evolved with pathogens & pests that most researchers suspect are a probable cause of CCD. So, it's natural that this vigorous, well adapted bee would do very well in Florida.
So it begs the question. Why would one leave a feral bee colony in a building that houses people, pets or animals?
I think it's largely due to ignorance, and this ongoing belief, strongly held by most, that bees are naturally gentle, and only sting when provoked. While it's mostly true that managed honey bees are normally docile, and attack with maybe a hundred or so guards when some kind of disturbance occurs, Killer Bees ( African Honey Bees or AHB) can react much, much differently. Killer bees are wild, or feral, and the hyper-defensiveness can't be bred out of them. An AHB colony can react with provocation as light as a strong breeze or branch landing on it's colony, which means they can send out thousands of guards, all looking for anything that moves, breathes or has a heat signature. It's common for AHB attack victims to be unable to yell HELP!, because bees fill up their mouth and throat, and suffocation is a real risk.
So, it's up to us experts to educate the public, especially those that are at greater risk, including equine operations, about the dangers of these 'new breed' of bees. African Bee infestations can be managed properly, greatly reducing the chances of a sting event, but it takes a new attitude, and working with stinging insect specialists. Beekeepers and standard pest control operators are ill-equipped to control these infestations. (Why not? see our post)
We are educating citizens, companies, utilities, firefighters, police and any interested group about the African Honey Bee and issues surrounding it. Our entomologists give presentations and offer consultations to help you manage this threat and we have specialists that remedy infestations daily. Give us a call at 800.343.5317, send us an email, or visit our website to schedule a presentation or for more info and help.
Richard Martyniak, M.Sc. Entomologist
helpful links:
ALLFloridaBeeRemoval.com
Our website
AFBEE
University of Florida's African Honey Bee Extension & Education Program
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