Hi Jim

This is hardly a forum for counting body bags, or similar, but allow me
to quote some references on US bee attacks from long ago; long
before the AHB arrived in the US.

I wrote:
>> The general reputation of the AHB in the West is that it is a killer
>> bee. Period. ...  Even well-meaning information published on the
>> AHB, compiled by intelligent people, allows no leeway for this bee.

You wrote:
> Excuse the mass hysteria, but bees simply did not kill people or
> animals in the western hemisphere before the spread of AHB.

Here I quote a couple of documented samples; specifically, from A.I.
Root in 1920, per http://www.beesource.com/eob/laws/rootlaw.htm

"A case in point is Parsons vs. Manser, 119 Iowa 92, 62 L. R. A.
132, decided in 1903, the facts of the case being that the beekeeper
had a hitching post in front of his house. This post was located in the
public highway; about 25 feet from the post, but in the beekeeper's
yard, there were two bee-gums. The plaintiff, Parsons, was a
medicine peddler. He called at Manser's house and tied his horses to
the hitching post. The bees attacked the horses and stung them to
death."

"EARL VS. VAN ALSTINE
The facts in this case were: That Van Alstine was the owner of 15
hives of bees. The bees were kept in his yard, adjoining the public
highway. Earl, the plaintiff in the case, was traveling along the highway
with a team of horses, and when he passed Van Alstine's place the
bees attacked his horses and stung them so severely one died. Action
was brought in the Justice's Court and Earl secured judgment for the
sum of $70.25 and costs."