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From:
DOUG 'SPEAKER-TO-INSECTS' YANEGA <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Discussion of Bee Biology <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Sat, 7 Nov 1992 13:15:58 -0600
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> I think an important thing to consider with regard to "the Africanized
> Bee thing" is RELATIVE risk.  It is a fact that people get killed
> by European Honey Bees also - due to hypersensitization and anaphylactic
> (I think that is the right word!) reactions.  People are also killed by
> many other stinging insects, and poisonous snakes, and scorpions, etc...
 
Just for public consumption here, Yellowjackets/Hornets cause more
deaths in the US each year than any other wild animal (and sometimes
I've heard it stated as more than all other wild critters put
together). I think the statistic is only confounded by whether one
includes domestic dogs or not, and the fact that a *large* number of
reported "bee-related deaths" are actually yellowjacket deaths (they
also have a barbed stinger, and - as I'm sure many of you are aware -
people often call yellowjackets "bees", so when asked "What happened?"
the answer "He was attacked by bees" is often less than accurate, from
an entomologist's viewpoint ;-)
 
> The point is that we have learned to live with these things, and we can
> learn to live with the Africanized Bee.  The second point is that while
> there is a risk associated with all these things, it isn't a big risk
> if you take proper precautions (such as wearing tall boots when walking
> in the desert to protect against rattlesnakes, etc.)
 
I must admit, having everyone in Texas wearing a bee suit would be a
bit impractical, and I can't imagine what other "precautions" the
average person can take - the issue is not foolish, poorly-protected
beekeepers, or people who wander into apiaries, but rather what
happens when an African colony establishes itself in an area (be it
residential or rural) and is then blundered into or agitated purely by
accident. Rattlesnakes rarely set up shop, after all, in people's
attics, back yards, treehouses, and picnic areas. I've been in areas
with lots of African bees, and they swarm a *lot*, and if not found
quickly, they can get to "fighting strength" pretty rapidly. I can
foresee a real need for a "Volunteer Beefighter" force in areas with
large feral populations - which, of course, is the Big Question in
this whole scenario - just what kind of feral population density
*will* be attained in any given area? We don't know yet, but no one
should be surprised if there prove to be "hot spots" where stinging
incidents become commonplace.
 
> We as beekeepers really need to band together and start educating the public
> about the real story behind the Africanized Bee, how dangerous they
> actually are (relative to other known risks - such as rattlesnakes -- is
> this a good comparison???), and how to avoid a confrontation with angry
> bees (Africanized or otherwise!)
 
I obviously *don't* think it's a very good comparison, if for no other
reason than that you don't have to run for your life when confronted
by a rattler, but a few thousand angry bees are a different matter.
Trust me - I've run into both.
 
> Well, that's just the opinion of one beekeeper on this issue.
> Humbly submitted,
> Rick Hough
 
And mine is one opinion of someone who studies bees as wild animals,
which is perhaps a rather different perspective.
-------(please include "DY" in subj header of mail to this user)--------
Doug "Speaker-To-Insects" Yanega      "UT!"       Bitnet: KUENTO@UKANVAX
My card: 0 The Fool       (Snow Museum, Univ. of KS, Lawrence, KS 66045)
"Ev-ry-bo-dy loves the Michigan RAAAAaaaaag!" - The Singing Frog

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