PUBLIC HEALTH : Killer Bees Work Their Way Into U.S.

The recent death of a rancher in Texas by Africanized honeybees--so-called killer bees--has renewed fears over the hyper-aggressive insect’s move north. Though later found to be allergy-related, the death was believed to be the first U.S. fatality linked to the bees. The actual danger presented by the bees is the subject of much debate. Many experts believe the bees will not present a serious health hazard.

Honey bees are not native to the Western Hemisphere. They were brought to the New World by the early European settlers. In 1956, Brazil attempted to breed bees better suited to hot climates. But African bees brought in for the experiment escaped. The escaped bees formed the nucleus of a wild population that has since spread 200 to 300 miles per year through Latin America and into the lower United States.

The stinger: Similar to common honeybee. Barbs on the stinger anchor it so it remains in the skin when the bee pulls away. Stinger continues to throb for up to 60 seconds, injecting more venom and producing an alarm odor that attracts other bees.

Precautions: Experts say residents should call a private pest control company when they fear Africanized bees may be around the home or yard--just as they would when spotting wasps or other dangerous insects.

ANATOMY OF A BEE Abdomen Thorax Simple eyes Head Compound eye Antenna Claw Middle leg Pollen basket Hind leg Stinger Fore wing Hind wing

* Controlling their spread: Eradication efforts have failed. Experts say their arrival is inevitable.

* Arrival in California: Sometime between this fall and the end of 1994.

* Venom: No more harmful than the common honeybee

* Danger: Their aggressiveness, which leads to mass attacks and hundreds of bites on a perceived predator

* What they look like: To the naked eye, Africanized honeybees appear no different from European honeybees commonly found in the United States.

REACTION DISTANCE

European bee: Under 30 yards

Africanized bee: Up to a a kilometer (1,091 yards or 0.6 miles.)

REACTION TIME

European bee: 19 seconds

Africanized bee: 3 seconds

More information:

L.A. County Agricultural Commissioner / Weights and Measures

3400 La Madera Ave.

El Monte, CA 91732

Phone: (800) 356-2894 (8 a.m.-4 p.m.)

Sources: Bill Routhier, California Department of Food and Agriculture in San Diego; Leon Spaugy and Michael Pearson, Los Angeles County Agricultural Commissioner/Weights and Measures; U.S. Department of Agriculture