-----Ursprüngliche Nachricht-----
Von: Andy Nachbaur <[log in to unmask]>
An: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>
Datum: Sonntag, 17. Januar 1999 05:17
Betreff: Do you have killer bees in your country?
 
 
>I just gots to ask, how many people are killed by bees and/or honey bees
>each year in your country?
 
 
Although we have no killer bees in our country and probably not in Europe at
all there are people killed by bees of course. That's not a problem of
africanization of our bee population or breed in Europe.
 
Learning beekeeping I was told that bees are the most dangerous wild animals
in Europe according to the number of deathes each year. It is said, bees are
even more dangerous than snakes, wolfs or anything else.
 
I don't want to tell you about the spectre of European bees. They aren't
very dangerous and aggressive. Especially the Carnica race is far less
agressive than the former dark German bee Apis mellifera mellifera, which
you could work at only being wrapped up like an astronaut.
 
The reason for all this killing by bees is the allergic reaction of some
people.
If one has this handicap only a few stings by bees or wasps will be highly
dangerous and critical.
 
>Its hard to understand how a country like Switzerland with few honeybees
>can lose so many people from bee stings? Maybe they have "killer" bumble
bees?
 
Of course the absolute number of bees in Switzerland or Germany is low but
I'm convinced that the number of bees or hives per square mile is higher
than in the US of America in these densely populated countries.
 
Just one horror story about the danger of bees. About 2 years ago there was
a report in our papers about killing in Cekoslovakia. I don't know whether
it was a canard but it seem true to me.
 
A farmer was riding with his horse and cart full of dung on a country road,
when he was attact by a swarm of bees. He wasn't killed by the bees as far
as I remember but his horse died getting stung by the bees. Aggressivity
seems to be provoked by the smelling of the dung and the sweat of the horses
in summer.
.
Please note: My bees are angles compared to those told about before!
 
Bye for now
 
Reimund
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Beekeeper in Germany (Bavaria)
Queen Rearing of Carniolan Bees
Insemination Station
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50°  North, 11°  East
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