AZ Killer Bee Attacks
WHY AFRICAN BEES ARE CALLED KILLER BEES? WHAT CAUSES AFRICAN BEES TO ATTACK?
African bees are called "killer bees" for good reason, when African bees attack; they do so until the person, pet, livestock or wild animal they felt threatened by is dead. Once an attack starts, anything or anyone in the area of the bee attack is also subject to being injured or killed. Once a bee attack starts, African bees attack indiscriminately. African bees have been responsible for many deaths and injuries in the State of Arizona since their arrival in 1993.
As an African bee colony develops, the African bees will become more aggressive and defensive of their developing bee brood and honeycomb. The longer an African bee colony is left to develop, the more dangerous it will become. Bee researchers have determined that there can be as many as six bee colonies in a square city block. Also, bee researchers have determined that factors that can generate an African bee attack come from their perception of a threat to their bee colony of beehive. Generally, strong scents like perfume, colognes and insecticides, strong vibrations in the area of the beehive from machinery or gardening tools and exposure to dark colors in the vicinity of the hive entrance are considered African bee attack triggers.
Every African bee colony has dedicated "guard bees" at the entrance to the colony whose job is to defend the colony entrance and challenge any potential threat in the vicinity of that colony. Any disturbance they perceive as a threat will be challenged. Usually, a bee attack will follow a progression of steps. First, the guard bees will test and bump a perceived threat. In terms of people, pets and livestock, they will focus on the facial area. Guard bees will start bumping into this area by following the carbon dioxide that mammals exhale. As they bump into your face, they will begin to buzz loudly. This is a warning. If this occurs, it is time to leave the area quickly. Next, if a guard bee stings, it marks the intended target and releases an attack pheromone. Last, the guard bees will continue to attack and harass the perceived threat until the worker bees in the African bee colony start responding and unloading from the bee hive to finish the job. African bees will follow the intended victim for at least a ¼ mile or more. In all cases, the guard bees that are defending the beehive will stay with the threat and continue to sting. If the victim finally gets far enough away from the African bee colony, quickly, it may at least stop the rest of the African bee colony from unloading from the bee colony to join the attack and thereby minimize the volume of the bee attack.
Pima County, Arizona, which has had a great deal of experience with African bee attacks, has even gone so far as to declare that an African bee colony, in a residential area or commercial building area, is a public nuisance and the responsibility of the home owner or property owner to remove immediately or be subject to large fines and enforcement.