Africanized honey bees

Africanized honey bees, sometimes called killer bees, have been established in Arizona since 1993, and University of Arizona Extension notes that most wild (feral) colonies in the state now carry significant Africanized genetics. They look like ordinary honey bees and a single foraging bee is not a concern; the difference is that they defend their nest far more aggressively and in much larger numbers if it is disturbed. They are not hunting people, but a threatened colony reacts fast.

If a swarm attacks, the standard Arizona guidance (University of Arizona Extension and the National Park Service) is to run away in a straight line toward shelter as fast as you can, cover your head and face with your shirt or arms as you go since bees target the head, and get inside a building or car and close it up. Do not stand and swat, since crushed bees and movement attract more, and do not jump into water, because the bees will wait for you to surface. They can follow a quarter-mile or more. Once you are safe, scrape stingers out sideways with a fingernail or card edge rather than pinching them, and call 911 if you were stung many times, feel ill, or have a known allergy.

Prevention is about denying nest sites and never provoking a colony. Seal cracks in walls and foundations, and close off cavities, utility and irrigation boxes, sheds, and overturned containers where a colony could move in. Watch for a steady stream of bees flying in and out of one spot, which signals a hive, and have any suspected colony removed promptly by a professional beekeeper or licensed pest-control operator. Never try to remove a hive yourself, and never use gasoline, fire, or a garden spray, all of which provoke an attack. If bees are active nearby, manage attractants like open sugary drinks, pet food and water, and hummingbird feeders.

Safety and coexistence

• If attacked, run in a straight line to shelter, cover your face, and get indoors or in a car
• Do not swat, and do not jump in water; bees can pursue a quarter-mile or more
• Scrape stingers out sideways; call 911 for many stings, illness, or a known allergy
• Seal wall cracks, utility and irrigation boxes, and cavities where colonies nest
• Never remove a hive yourself or use gasoline or fire; call a professional