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WHETSTONE — About a quarter-million Africanized bees have been exterminated and the hive removed from a home in the Whetstone area.
Charlie Pasley died Sunday after he was attacked by thousands of swarming bees while working on the roof on his family’s home. The attack happened within minutes after Pasley and his father, Chuck Pasley, started working on the roof of their house. The bees, apparently disturbed by vibrations as the two worked, swarmed both men, stinging them as they scrambled down a ladder for safety.
Charlie Pasley, 39, sustained more than 300 stings, while Chuck Pasley was stung about 100 times. Chuck Pasley was treated at Sierra Vista Regional Health Center and released the same day, but Charlie Pasley died at the scene.
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Michael Smith, branch manager for an extermination company called Bug Wiser, was contacted to exterminate the bees and removed the hive on Thursday.
“It was a well-established hive,” Smith said. “There were about a quarter-million bees and the honeycomb was about 70 pounds.”
Based on the size of the hive and number of bees in the colony, Smith said the hive was about six months old.
The hive was located in a space underneath the family’s mobile home and was not visible without crawling under the trailer. Smith said the family had been noticing bees flying around the area, but were not concerned.
“They weren’t bothering anyone,” he said. “If you stood and watched them, it was like standing in a garden where bees just come and go, minding their own business.”
The hive was about 2 feet wide by a foot long and 5 inches high.
As Bug Wiser’s branch manager for Sierra Vista, Smith said the company answers a variety of extermination calls all over the county, as well as termite calls in New Mexico.
The cost for eliminating bees varies, depending on the size of the swarm, Smith said.
The starting price for a small colony is between $80 and a $100. For larger, more established swarms the price goes up, ranging between $150 and $200.
Africanized bees, or “killer bees,” have invaded may parts of the United States, including Arizona.
“The only bees left in Arizona in the wild are Africanized,” Smith said.
These bees are very aggressive and much more likely to attack when their hive is threatened.
Africanized bees are less selective than native bees when choosing nesting sites. Many natural and man-made objects have been colonized by Africanized swarms. Examples include cavities in hollow trees, sheds, porches, crawl spaces, discarded tires and abandoned automobiles. Whenever swarming bees are seen moving in and out of an area near a home, it’s best to find shelter and call professionals to have them removed.
When bees outgrow their hives, members of the colony break off in search of a new home. Those swarms are just moving through, and if left alone, are not a threat.
Liz Barta, an educator at the Arizona Poison and Drug Information Center, said that unless an individual is allergic to bees, the average person can tolerate between 4 to 10 bee stings per 10 pounds of body weight. In a 150-pound person, that equates to about 100 stings. Multiple bee stings and deaths from bee stings are rather rare, Barta said.
“If you’re stung, watch your symptoms carefully, especially in the first hour after a sting,” she said. “Mild local reactions can be relieved by applying a cool compress or a baking soda paste to the area. Most people will notice redness, itching, swelling and localized pain, which can persist for a few hours.”
Some people don’t tolerate bee stings well and are more sensitive.
If attacked by a swarm, it’s best to head for cover as quickly as possible.
“If you’re not sure if you’re having a normal reaction, call the poison control center for advice,” Barta urged.
HERALD/REVIEW reporter Dana Cole can be reached at 515-4618 or by e-mail at dana.cole@svherald.com.
Tony P wrote on Nov 25, 2008 12:24 AM: