Killer Bees in Southern California

It's no secret that there are Africanized bees migrating throughout the world, but they are now spreading through the United States relatively quickly as well. Most people have heard about the swarms of Africanized bees in the US, but fairly recently, in 1994, the killer bees as they are often called, entered California. Since 1994, however, the bees have been spreading through most of southern California, primarily in the Los Angeles, Orange County and San Diego regions. They are even moving into areas further to the north and west of Los Angeles, in Kern and Ventura Counties.

Armed with the knowledge that these 'killer' bees are around, anyone who is working or playing in the outdoors in southern California should be aware of what to do if they encounter a swarm or hive. Most bees are not aggressive and would prefer to fly away to safety rather than attack and sting, but the Africanized bees don't have the same reservations at all. The swarms and hives that are found now, mostly contain hybrid bees. That means the hive is composed of regular honey bees that have bred with Africanized varieties. This creates a dangerous situation because the bees are unpredictable, aggressive and very, very protective of their hive. Rather than being the usual docile honey bees, they have been transformed into a potentially deadly species.