RE: Killer Bees

["Catherine Foster" <foster@unbc.ca>]

I don't know how you guys do it.  I am petrified of bees, and I live too far
north  so very little chance of the killer bees ever migrating this
way--unless they slowly start climatizing uh oh!  I will need a faster
horse.  BTW, my horse is trained to run from bees (honey bees, or wasps it
don't matter, it buzzes we run)

Cathy
Prince George, BC

-----Original Message-----
From: guest@endurance.net [mailto:guest@endurance.net]
Sent: Monday, October 11, 1999 1:31 PM
To: ridecamp@endurance.net
Subject: RC: Killer Bees


Kerry Dykes kdykes@hotmail.com
Being in Tucson, with a killer bee population that's live and well, we try
to follow the recommendations --- run....

>From what we are told, normal bees commit about 30% of their numbers to
hive protection while killer bees commit something like 65% (give or take a
sting or two).   They have a protection zone and once you are in it will not
stop their attach until you leave it -- you don't know where the boundaries
are but they do and will stop as soon as you get out of their space.
Unfortunately, it seems that space can be anywhere from 1/4 to 1/2 mile (in
a straight line).  The "experts" say the following:

1.  Do not run in a zig zag fashion, go for a straight line to put the most
distance possible between you and the bees zone in the quickest amount of
time.  (Not possible in some cases of heavy underbrush, I know).

2.  Do not jump in the water to get away from them.  They literally wait on
the surface and get you when you come up for air.  There are documented
incidents of deaths resulting from this approach.

The good news is that the venom is no more poisonous than any other bees,
the bad news is, it doesn't matter if you've been stung a hundred times.....

Now, I'm off for my ride in my beekeepers suit......

Kerry


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Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net.    
Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/RideCamp   
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