Recently, there have been a couple of incidents in which people have been attacked by Africanized honey bees. As we have all heard during the last few years, these bees have made their way to California.
FireFighters Attacked In Palm Desert
An elderly woman and five firefighters were rushed to the hospital on Thursday, March 6th, following an aggressive attack by tens of thousands of Africanized honey bees.
Riverside County Fire Department Spokeswoman Jody Hagemann says the attack was first reported to firefighters at 4:40 p.m., when a woman was attacked by the bees inside a gated Palm Desert community near Frank Sinatra Drive and Cook Street. Read More
Woman And Teen Attacked After Car Accident
A woman and a teenager were hospitalized after being attacked by bees when a car hit a tree containing a hive in La Canada Flintridge, authorities said.
A collision between two cars occurred around 2:50 p.m. on the 200 block of Los Amigos Street, according to a news release from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. Read More
What To Do If You Are Attacked
- Run away from where you are being attacked. Continue running, for as long as 1/4 mile.
- Pull your shirt over your head to protect your face. Continue running.
- If you are able to enter a building or vehicle quickly, then do so.
- Do not jump into water. Bees will wait for you to surface and sting your face.
- Don't try to swat at the bees. This will only antagonize them, and any bees you do kill by swatting, will cause more bees to come towards you.
More Information
The San Gabriel Valley Mosquito & Vector Control District has great information on their website about bees:
Aficanized Honey Bees - General information and how they got here
Africanized Honey Bees - Dispelling Myths; Learn the facts about "Killer Bees."
Africanized Honey Bees - Precaution, Prevention & Removal; How to avoid being stung, what to do, and who to call if you find a nest.