Killer bees prompt response in Alabama as swarms spotted nationwide

Swarm of slayer bees is spreading crossed the state

Swarm of slayer bees is spreading crossed the country 00:36

Beekeepers successful southeastern Alabama precocious trapped a "feral swarm" of slayer bees,  according to the Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries, the latest successful a caller drawstring of slayer bee sightings crossed the U.S.

Officials said the swarm was humanely euthanized to support the state's honeybee populations, which, University of Georgia researchers note, can beryllium threatened by this much assertive bee subspecies.

Killer bees, besides called Africanized honeybees, are a notoriously unsafe breed known for their defensiveness, according to the Smithsonian Institution. Unlike astir bees typically seen successful the U.S., which are technically European honeybees, these slayer bees became feared aft attacking humans and animals successful comparatively ample numbers. The Smithsonian writes successful a statement of slayer bees connected its website that the insects "have killed immoderate 1,000 humans" since their instauration to the Americas successful 1956, "with victims receiving 10 times arsenic galore stings than from the European strain."

In Alabama, the cultivation section said traps were acceptable crossed a five-mile agelong of onshore adjacent the tract successful Barbour County wherever beekeepers spotted the swarm. The section has besides taken steps to found targeted monitoring procedures successful the area, to measure whether further swarms are present. Officials said that was "a precautionary response," to support pollinating honeybees arsenic good arsenic beekeepers.    

"There is nary crushed for nationalist interest astatine this time, but we are treating this concern seriously," said Rick Pate, the commissioner of the cultivation department, successful a statement. "Our squad is actively collaborating with section beekeepers and entomology experts to guarantee swift detection and due response. Protecting some the wellness of our communities and Alabama's honeybee populations is our apical priority."

The section warned members of the nationalist to debar provoking immoderate bee colonisation suspected to incorporate slayer bees, arsenic  they "may respond successful greater numbers erstwhile disturbed" and "pursue perceived threats farther than European honeybees," perchance pursuing them for up to a mile. In comparison, European honeybees person been known to stalk victims of an onslaught for up to a 4th of a mile.

Alabama's find has followed a spate of slayer bee sightings crossed the country. In the past 3 months alone, swarms successful Texas attacked and killed 1 man, and led to 3 others being hospitalized aft disturbing a colony, CBS News Miami reported. According to the quality tract AZ Family, a swarm chased a radical of hikers for astir a mile adjacent the extremity of a way successful a Phoenix suburb, and each hiker required aesculapian attraction arsenic a result. 

Killer bees person been spotted successful 13 U.S. states: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas and Utah. South Florida has the highest fig of them compared with immoderate different state, according to CBS News Miami. 

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