Killer bees started in Brazil in 1957. A scientist in Sao Paulo wanted bees to make more honey, so he put 46 African bees in with some Brazilian bees. The bees started to breed and make a new kind of bee. However, the new bees were a mistake. They did not want to make more honey; they wanted to attack. Then, by accident, 26 African bees escaped and bred with the Brazilian bees outside.
Scientists could not control the problem. The bees spread. They went from Brazil to Venezuela and then to Central America. Now they are in North America. They travel about 390 miles a year. Each group of bees, or colony, grows to four times its old size in a year. This means that there will be one million new colonies in five years.
Killer bees are very dangerous, and people are right to be afraid of them. When killer bees attack people, they attack in great numbers and often seriously hurt or kill people. Four hundred bee stings can kill a person. A total of 8,000 bee stings is not unusual for a killer bee attack. In fact, a student in Costa Rica had 10,000 stings and died. Often, the bees attack for no reason. They may attack because of a strong smell that is good or bad or because a person is wearing a dark color, has dark hair, or is wearing some kind of shiny jewelry.
What can you do if you see killer bees coming toward you? The first thing you can do is runas fast as you can. Killer bees do not move very fast, but they will follow you up to one mile. Then you must go into the nearest house or tent. Do not jump into water. The bees will wait for you to come out of the water. Killer bees will try to attack the head or the face, so cover your head with a handkerchief or a coat. You may even take off your shirt and cover
your head. Stings to your chest and back are not as dangerous as stings to your head and face. However, if the bees sting you many times, you must get medical attention immediately.
How are killer bees different from normal honey bees? Killer bees are a little smaller
than regular bees, but only an expert can tell the difference. Killer bees get angry more easily and attack more often than honey bees. Killer bees attack and sting in great numbers. Like honey bees, each killer bee can sting only one time, and the female bee dies after it stings. Killer bees also make honey, but a honey bee makes five times more honey than a killer bee.