The Morning Blend
Welcome
Complete Media Kit
Herald/Review
BISBEE — Because Cochise County has no authority to go on private property to deal with the hazardous hives of Africanized bees, better known as killer bees, in abandoned structures, county Board of Supervisors Chairman Richard Searle took it upon himself to deal with the issue and get it to the state Legislature.
“We need to do something to protect people, so I’ve been discussing the problem with our state representative, Jennifer Burns,” he said. Arizona law allows mitigation in most hazardous circumstances, but the killer bee problem has not been addressed, yet.
“I’m not against the bees or want to destroy them. I know how necessary they are for the vitality of the environment,” Searle said. “But there are times we need to be able to call someone and take care of the danger they can present. The Legislature, hopefully, will provide us with that power to deal with them like any other potentially dangerous situation.”
|
|
There have been three reported killer bee attacks in the past two years, he said, though none involved abandoned structures. Those attacks show that the potential for disaster exists when Africanized bees are around. One man died in Whetstone last year from a hive that was in the roof of a house. Two women, one in McNeal and another in Hereford, were stung repeatedly in attacks that occurred in 2005, he recalled.
If the county found hives in abandoned structures, the problem could be resolved and the owner would be liable for the cost. Officials of Pima and Maricopa counties support the measure, he added.
The matter may be presented this month to a legislative committee that will determine if killer bees should be added to the list.
herald/review reporter Shar Porier can be reached at 515-4692.
beereview.net.
Bill Stein wrote on Nov 22, 2008 7:45 PM: