Wildland Fire Fighting and Stinging Insects; Africanized Honey Bees, Yellowjackets, and

BumblebeesWilliam H. Kern, Jr.Ft. Lauderdale REC

Presented by: Michael K. O’Malley

Honey Bee Research and Extension Lab Gainesville, FL

Social Vs. Solitary• Honey Bees• Bumble Bees• Yellowjackets and

Hornets• Paper Wasps• Ants

• Large Carpenter Bees• Sweat Bees• Digger / Miner Bees• Mud Daubers• Cicada Killers• Velvet Ants• White Grub Hunters

Social Bees and Wasps• Colonies of the paper wasps Polistes, and

related tropical genera, have the fewest number of individuals, 6 - 50.

• Bumblebees (Bombus spp.) have 30 - 300 in a colony:

• Bald-faced Hornet, Vespula maculate, up to 5,000;

• Yellow Jackets, Vespula sp.,1,000- 100,000;

• Honeybees, 5,000-60,000 Apis mellifera.

Red Paper Wasp Polistes carolina St. Lucie County, Florida, USA April 29, 2006

Mischocyttarus mexicanus - Lady Lake, Lake County, Florida, USA September 23, 2005

Yellowjacket Vespula squamosa (Vespidae)

Key to Florida yellowjackets

Yellowjacket Nests (usually annual)

• Nests are built entirely of wood fiber and are completely enclosed except for a small opening (entrance)

Perennial Yellowjacket Nest

Bald-faced Hornet

http://www.ipm.iastate.edu/ipm/hortnews/2006/10-4/hornetnest.html

European Hornet Vespa crabro

Bumble Bees of Florida Bombus spp. (Apidae)

Large Bumblebee Nest

Bumblebee Nest in a Bird House

Yellow jackets, Hornets, and Bumble bees can all sting through a bee suit.

When dealing with these defensive social insects, most removal experts wear multiple layers under their bee suits to add distance between the surface of the suit and their skin.

Honey Bee Apis mellifera (Apidae)

Queen with brood cells.

Workers with honey cells.

Facts About Africanized Honey Bees

• Africanized honey bees (AHB) are the same species as European honey bees (EHB).

• The sting of the AHB is not more dangerous or toxic than EHB.

• All honey bees can only sting once.• You can not tell an AHB from a EHB by

looking at them.

AHB or EHB?

Honey Bees• Foraging Honey bees

whether Africanized or European will not attack you.

• Foragers will sting in defense if you step on them.

• Honey bees only become intensely defensive when defending their hive or colony.

Swarms• Are a way for colonies to divide when they

get too large for the hive location• The old queen and some of the workers

leave the old colony to found a new colony at a new location.

• These bees are not defensive because they do not have resources (honey and babies) to defend.

• Even Africanized bees are not very defensive at this stage.

Swarms Are Not Aggressive

AHB swarms are smaller than EHB swarm.

• Most AHB swarms are the size of a softball or volleyball, but some aren't much larger than a coffee cup.

• Swarming is undesirable because it greatly increases the number of feral colonies.

Willie The Bee Man, Inc.

Scouts Have Found a New Home and the Swarm Has Arrived

They Settle on the Outside and Then Move Inside the Void

Differences between AHB and EHB Reproductive Capacity

• AHBs have higher brood production and less honey storage than EHB.

• AHBs produce more bees in a shorter period than EHB.

• Dangerous numbers of AHB bees develop rapidly.

Willie The Bee Man, Inc.

Differences between AHB and EHB

Selection of Nesting Site• EHBs are particular in selecting nest

sites. – Hollow trees, wall voids. – Cavities (about 10 gallons in size). – Above ground, clean, and dry voids.

• Proper colony sites are rare so there are limited numbers of feral EHB colonies around people.

Differences between AHB and EHB

Selection of Nesting Site• AHBs nest in any protected

place – Smaller, closer to the

ground– Utility boxes, abandoned

tires, concrete power poles• Difficult to detect AHB in

varied nesting locations until colonies become large.

Subfloor of housewww.apianstingusa.com

BEE AWARE• Watch for bees flying fast and straight in

and out of any object or area.• AHB will nest in the ground; in burrows,

meter boxes, irrigation valve boxes, and electrical boxes.

• AHB will use any protected location or void to house their colony.

• Any place where you have seen a paper wasp nest could house an AHB colony.

Foraging Bees

Many bees does not always mean a hive is nearby, it could

just be a good food source.

Returning to the Hive

Meter and Valve Boxes EHB never nest underground

In Tucson, AZ they remove 3,000 colonies annually from

meter boxes alone.

Bee Colony Hidden in Vegetation Ran This

Worker Off His Equipment

Abandoned Tires

Look in Trees Before Cutting or Pruning

2 month old AHB Aerial Nest

Hollow Trees are used by

both AHB and EHB.

Base of a Coconut Palm

AHB Colony between Buttresses of Trunk of Tree

Wildlife Nest Boxes

Hive in an Old Gas Tank

Watch out for any debris that contains a useable void.

Surprise AHB Nesting Site

AHB will nest in trees cavities, caves, rock piles, animal

burrows,

Stored Building Materials

Roadside Debris and Dumps

Boardwalks

Stairs and Handicapped Ramps

Stored Field Equipment

AHB Colony in Parked Loader

Culverts and Bridges

Stacked Flower Pots

Putting AHB Into Perspective• AHB are more aggressive than EHB.• AHB swarm more and produce more feral

colonies.• AHB nest in more and smaller spaces than

EHB.• In terms of Aggressive Defense of the

colony and potential number of stings, AHB are comparable to a large native yellow jacket or bald faced hornet nest.

Differences between AHB and EHB Aggressive Hive Defense

and Stinging• AHB respond quicker and in larger numbers

when colony is threatened. • AHB remains agitated longer than EHB, up to

24 hours.• Perturbing an AHB colony results in 6-10

times more stings than a EHB colony.• Nests can be dangerous if not removed. • Improper removal is dangerous for neighbors

and bystanders.

At-Risk Groups• People likely to interact

with bees– Outdoor workers

• Landscapers• Right-of-way workers• Surveyors • Utility workers• Land clearing equipment

operators– Military during training– Sports enthusiasts– Rescue personnel

Most At-Risk Groups

• These people are at greater risk from encounters with feral AHB colonies because they are less able to escape the situation.

• Small Children• Elderly• Handicapped

At-Risk Groups

• Animals at risk–Tethered or restrained

animals.–Penned, caged, or

corralled. –Horses and bees don’t

mix.

Honey Bee Venom• Human LD50 is 5-10 stings /lb. of body weight for

a non-allergic person. The LD50 for mice is 2.8 mg / kg compared to Crotalus horridus horridus, the timber rattlesnake at 3.1 mg / kg.

• 500 stings is comparable to a rattlesnake bite (Crotalus sp.).

• Children are more susceptible due to their smaller body mass and larger surface to volume ratio. The smaller you are, the more skin surface you have compared to the volume or mass inside you body.

What do you do if you disturb an AHB colony?

• Run, Run, then Run some more!• Get inside a closed vehicle or

structure.– The 10 bees that come inside with you

are much less dangerous then the 3,000 waiting outside.

• Do not jump into a pool or pond.– They can wait longer than you can.

Personal Protection Equipment• Leather gloves with

gauntlet • High leather boots or

rubber boots.• Long pants and long-

sleeve shirt or jacket.• Broad rim hat or helmet• Head net to protect

face, neck, and scalp from stinging insects.

Personal Protection Equipment

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.comwww.stingshield.com

How do bees respond to fire or smoke?

• Honey bees (especially AHB) respond to smoke / fire by gorging on as much honey as possible in case they have to abscond if the fire gets too close.

• They are no longer as concerned about defense as they are with the colony burning up. (Forgive the anthropomorphizing).

• Smoke also seems to interfere with their detection of alarm pheromone.

Honey Bees and Wildland Fires

• Do NOT run into the smoke if you disturb a colony.

• Run in a safe direction while covering your head, face, and neck with your bee veil.

• Greatest risk is when cutting fire breaks or working up wind of a fire and prior to control burns

Saturday, June 20, 1998. (Photo: News-Journal/David Tucker)

An Enclosed Cab Gives the Operator Excellent Protection

from Irate Stinging Hymenoptera.

AHB Control• Leave it to professionals.• Don’t even consider it without a full bee

sting suit and gloves.• Foam is the most environmentally

responsible pesticide to use in natural areas.

Class A or AFFF 5% foam will smother defensive bees in 60 seconds.

Regular nozzle on full fog spray

Danger Zones

150 ft150 yds.

Swarm on a Building

Never Use Wasp and Hornet Spray on Bees

OOPS! You Will Get Stung!

Seek Emergency Care Immediately

• If stung by any insect and you develop any of these symptoms. These symptoms indicate an allergic reaction:– Large areas of swelling – Abnormal breathing – Tightness in throat or chest – Dizziness – Hives – Fainting – Nausea or vomiting – Persistent pain or swelling

First Aid• Bees leave behind a

stinger attached to a venom sac. Do not try to pull it out, as this may release more venom. Gently scrape it out with a blunt-edged object, such as a fingernail, credit card, or dull knife. Wash the area with soap and water.

www.pennhealth.com/ ency/article/000033.htm

First Aid• Apply a cold or ice pack, wrapped in

cloth for a few minutes. Apply a paste of baking soda and water and leave it on for 15 to 20 minutes, or dab on a bit of household ammonia. First aid sting swabs may contain ammonia or Benzocaine. Take acetaminophen for pain.– HealthDayNews - ScoutNews LLC

Questions ?Dr. Bill Kern whk@ufl.edu

Dr. James Ellis jdellis@ufl.edu http://afbee.ifas.ufl.edu

Presenter

Presentation Notes

Bee-proofing presentation