USDA Maps Advance of Killer African Bees

The USDA's advice on what to do if you are attacked by a swarm of Africanized honey bees, popularly known as "killer bees," is frighteningly direct... "RUN away quickly! Do not stop to help others. Continue to RUN!" A new map just published by the USDA shows how far into the U.S. the potentially deadly bees have spread, on a county-by-county basis.

After first being found in south Texas in 1990, Africanized honey bees have now been confirmed in nine states from California to Florida.

The USDA map showing the spread of the Africanized bees is updated every six months.

According to the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS), the Africanized bees have been spreading both on their own initiative and by “human-assisted transport,” with swarms hanging on to trucks, rail cars, ships and even airplanes.

Contrary to killer bee lore, ARS says Africanized bees do not randomly attack their victims, but tend to swarm more often and to be far more aggressively protective of their hives than regular honey bees. Still… Continue to RUN!

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is a regulatory, Cabinet-level agency.

Photo: Africanized Bees, courtesy of USDA

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