Killer Bees Caused the Death of a South West Georgia Man

An elderly south west Georgia man's death last week has now been officially ruled 'a death by killer bees' by the Georgia Department of Agriculture. Africanized honey bees were given the nick-name 'killer bees' and it is quite obvious why. Killer bees killed 73 year old Curtis Davis of Dougherty County, Georgia.

The man, unfortunately, disturbed a hive of these bees while running some farm equipment. According to Channel 3 News out of Chattanooga, Tennessee, the man was attacked by 30,000 bees.

News 11 Alive out of Atlanta, Georgia, said the victim received over 100 bee stings. Killer bees are very defense and will defend a large territory. Killer bees first showed up in Texas in 1990. They have since spread to many states including New Mexico, Arizona, California, Nevada, Utah, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, Florida, and Georgia. Georgia officials have been expecting the bees, although they didn't put out a 'welcome mat' for them.

More facts regarding killer bees:

* They respond to threats quickly and sting in large numbers

* They can sense a threat from humans or animals up to 50 feet away from their nest.

* They sense the vibration from power equipment up to 100 feet away from the nest.

* They will 'chase' what they think is an enemy up to ¼ of a mile.

* They swarm frequently in order to set up new nests.

* They nest in small cavity type or sheltered areas such as boxes, cans, buckets, old tires, garages, outbuildings, under low decks or low buildings.

What you can do to protect yourself:

* Before you start that tractor, lawn mower or chain saw, listen for the sound of buzzing. If you hear buzzing, get a move and get away from the area.

* Use care upon entering sheds or outbuildings.

* Check pen areas before putting animals inside the pens.

* Never disturb a nest or swarm. Contact a pest control company or your local Cooperative Extension Service.

* Teach your kids to stay away from and respect all bees.

If you do get stung:

* Try to protect your face and eyes from the bees and run.

* Get to a safe area away from the bees.

* Don't stay and swat at the bees.

* Get inside a building or even a car.

* Scrape stingers, don't pull them out.

* Wash the area with soap and water.

* Apply ice pack to help stop the swelling and relieve some of the pain.

We need certain types of bees, but we also need to be aware that killer bees can kill. It is best to treat all bees with respect and do our best to avoid them.

The man in Georgia didn't stand a chance with those killer bees. I was stung 3 times in the palm of my hand a few years ago and the pain was awful and it lasted for a few days. I can not imagine the pain Curtis Davis must have felt. My sympathy goes out to his family.

Do your best to protect yourself and your family. Bees can kill, they proved it.

Sources:

Channel 3 News Chattanooga, Tennessee

11 Alive, Atlanta, Georgia

Ajc.com