Bee Safety Tips by Charlotte Herdliska,
Fire Marshal of the Corona de Tucson Fire Department
Check your property regularly for bee colonies. Honey bees nest in a wide variety of places, especially Africanized honey bees. Look for bees in work areas before using power equipment. Check animal burrows, water meter boxes, overturned flower pots, trees, and shrubs.
Keep pets and children indoors when using weed eaters, hedge clippers, lawn mowers, chain saws, etc. Attacks frequently occur when a person is mowing the lawn or pruning shrubs and inadvertently strikes a nest. Some sounds, especially high pitch and loud noises, have been known to agitate bees.
If you encounter a swarm, run as quickly as you can in a straight line away from the bees. Do not flail or swing your arms at them, as this may further annoy them. Get to the closest house or car as quickly as possible. Don’t worry if a few bees become trapped in your home. If several bees follow you into your car, drive about a quarter of a mile and let the bees out.
Because bees target the head and eyes, cover your head as much as you can without slowing your escape.
Avoid excessive motion when near a colony. Bees are much more likely to respond to an object in motion than a stationary one.
Don’t pen, tie or tether animals near bee hives or nests and never attempt to remove a nest yourself. Find a reputable pest control company that specializes in bee removal. Check with your community or local yellow pages for trained and licensed pest control operators in your area.
Get indoors as quickly as possible. If you aren’t near a building, get inside the nearest car or shed. Close the doors and windows to keep the bees from following you.
CALL 911 to report bee stings and or endangerment.
Also, Save the Date! Saturday, October 21st Corona de Tucson Fire Department will be hosting our annual Pancake Breakfast from 8 AM until around 11 AM.