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Africanized Honey Bees in Arizona

Homeowner's Guide to Safe Honey Bee Swarm Control
Bee experts believe that the Africanized honey bee is here to stay. Studies show that as the regular honey bees and the Africanized bees interbreed, the Africanized strain appears to be dominant. So, the movement of Africanized honey bees into Arizona constitutes a permanent change in our state's environment.

Africanized honey bees are a more temperamental relative of the common garden honey bee, which is known as the European honey bee (EHB). Honey bees, whether they are European or African, only sting defensively. They do not go out of their way to sting. B ut some AHB colonies defend their colonies more intensively and with less provocation than other bees.

"Which is which?"

Scientists at the USDA Carl Hayden Bee Research Center in Tucson anticipate that the Africanized honey bee (AHB) will continue to colonize the lower regions of Arizona and the United States. And just as we Arizonan's have learned to walk in the desert - ever mindful of jumping cholla or rattlesnakes or scorpions - we must now display that kind of caution with respect to bees.

This article will introduce you to the AHB and discuss the following main topics concerning honey bees:

1. Why honey bees are important.
2. How the Africanized honey bee is different from any other domestic honey bee.
3. What safety precautions must now be routinely followed to avoid a stinging incident.
4. How to bee proof your property.
5. What you must do if you inadvertently agitate and/or encounter an angry AHB hive or swarm.
6. Outdoor Recreation Safety Tips.
7. How to protect your pets and livestock.
8. Preparing schools for Africanized honey bees.
9. How to subdue attacking bees. - A Guide for Fire Fighters (rescue personell)
10. Honey bees at your swimming pool.

Education plays a critical role in reducing the threat of the AHB to the health and safety of the public. People can coexist with Africanized honey bees by learning about the bee and its habits, taking a few precautions, and by supporting managed beekeeping efforts.

The University of Arizona Entomology Department and Cooperative Extension, in cooperation with Carl Hayden Bee Research Center, have undertaken coordination of Arizona's AHB educational activities as a project of the Integrated Pest Management Program. T he statewide efforts focus exclusively on the development and dissemination of AHB educational materials to educators and volunteer presenters throughout Arizona.

The Arizona AHB Education Project has developed an AHB Education Kit consisting of a comprehensive training manual, a script and 37-slide presentation, sample bees in resin, a plastic honeycomb, eight 4-color laminated display posters, and a safety video entitled "What Arizonans Need to Know About Africanized Honey Bees." All items are contained in a silk-screened heavy-duty tote bag. Cost of the kit is $80, which includes shipping and handling.

For more information about the Arizona AHB Education Project, or to order an AHB Education Kit, contact : Publication Distribution Center, 4042 N. Campbell Ave., Tucson, AZ 85719.

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