Greetings!
We hope you had a delightful month in February this
year. We sure had a great month here at Arizona Pest Control! In this issue of
the monthly newsletter we will be discussing the implications the weather will
have on pests in the Southern Arizona region. With record rainfall in the
Tucson Metro area for this time of the year we are anticipating a very intense
and dangerous bee swarming season. Although it is only March it is never too
early to be prepared for an encounter with Africanized Killer bees. As a matter
of fact, just a couple weeks ago two mail couriers in Phoenix were bombarded by a violent swarm of bees! We hope you make use of this valuable information that could help save your life. Enjoy!
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Africanized "Killer" Bee Advice
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Africanized "killer" bees look so much
like a regular honeybee that the only way to tell the two apart is by measuring
their bodies. Africanized bees have different wing measurements than honeybees.
Also be sure to look for enhanced aggression among the bees when trying to
identify what kind of bees you're dealing with. Unless you plan on getting up
close and personal with the bees it is best to assume you are dealing with the
Africanized bee. As it turns out their venom is no more dangerous than regular
honeybees-they just tend to attack in greater numbers, which causes more danger
to humans. Remember, it is better to bee safe than sorry, check out below on
what to do when dealing with Africanized killer bees.
The best advice we
give is to avoid bees at all costs, especially in large numbers. You should
inspect your property and surrounding environment regularly for colonies and
signs of bees. Also be extra attentive for activity when using weed eaters,
hedge clippers, tractor power mowers, chain saws, etc. If you do get
chased by bees, you want to get inside an enclosed structure, such as a house
or car immediately. If you cannot reach shelter, run. Most likely you will be
able to outrun bees and will lose them within a quarter-mile. If you are stung,
remove the stingers as quickly as possible. Try to scrape the skin with a driver's
license or other smooth object. The stingers contain protein-based venom that
can cause an devastating immune system response in the human body. If you are allergic
to bee stings or sustain a large number of stings, call 911 immediately. Swelling in the
area of a sting is perfectly normal. Swelling in other areas or feeling faint
from stings could mean you are having a reaction and should seek medical
attention. Put ice on sting sites to help the swelling of the stings. Please remember to leave the bee control
to the experts. When people try to remove bees without training or experience
the results can be deadly. It happens all the time, and is a mistake waiting to
happen.
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