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Bee plus: Africanized bees becoming common in county
Africanized honeybees are taking Grady County and surrounding areas by swarm.
At least five large swarms of the bees were reported in Chickasha, Cement, Carnegie and Ninnekah last week, including one that landed on a chain link fence post between Chickasha Lumber and O’Reilly’s on Fourth St.
“It was unreal,” said Penny Wilson, merchandise specialist at O’Reilly’s. “It caught my eye and just drew me to it.”
Wilson, who, at first mistook the moving clump of bees for a plastic bag caught on the fence, described the cluster of bees as “massive.”
E. J. Music, a yard hand at Chickasha Lumber, was out in the lumberyard when the bees came buzzing in.
“I was shelving lumber when I heard buzzing; I thought it was horseflies,” he said. “I looked up and they were swarming all around me. They flew to the corner of the yard and swarmed over the corner post. It was solid with bees.”
Music said the swarm measured about two-and-a-half feet by one-and-a-half feet. Witnesses estimated the number of bees in the seething mass to be between 1,000 and 2,000.
“They were the strangest looking bees I’ve ever seen,” said Music. “They just clumped up; they weren’t aggressive, and didn’t try to sting or attack.”
Gonzalez Pest Control was called to dispose of the swarm. Owner Dene Gonzalez said a spray of soap and water was used to knock the bees down, and then a powdered insect killer was applied. Although many bees flew away, hundreds litter the ground below the fence post.
“All the bees in Oklahoma are considered Africanized,” said Gonzalez. “They are bigger, they produce more honey, and they’re out of control.”
Gonzalez said in 2005, his company only handled two or three swarms, but in 2006, that number grew to about 15 cases. He said with as many calls as he has gotten so far this year, it could be a big season.
Africanized honeybees tend to swarm more often than their more docile European cousins, and they are more likely to migrate. They do not like being disrupted by beekeepers, and will often leave a hive and relocate. In addition, they aggressively guard a larger area around their hives than other bees.
While Africanized bees and European bees have the same venom, the Africanized bees are far more likely to sting in large numbers. In fact, the number of deaths from bees in general is greater than any other subspecies. Even so, only 14 deaths from Africanized bees have been reported over several years.
Because a severe allergic reaction can result from any bee sting, it is not easy to establish whether more people have died as a result of Africanized bees.
To avoid being stung if you come upon a swarm, walk away and stay away from it. If you are caught in a swarm, cover your head with a jacket or shirt and run away in a straight line, and take shelter in a house or car.
“They’ll chase you up to half a mile, and don’t jump in the water,” said Gonzalez. “They’ll drown you. They will hover over the water and when you come up, they’ll go for your eyes, nose mouth and ears.”
Gonzalez also said Africanized bees are irritated by noise and vibrations near their hives, which are often underground, and will attack even if the hive is not disturbed. Grady County Emergency Management Director Dale Thompson said Africanized honeybees have been in the area for the past two to three years. He suggests contacting the OSU extension office to make sure a swarm is Africanized before disposing of them.
The Africanized honeybees in America are descendants of 26 bees from Tanzania that were unintentionally let loose in Brazil in 1957.
Biologist Warwick E. Kerr interbred European bees and African bees in an attempt to produce a subspecies of bees that would be more productive in tropical conditions.
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Transformations
What comes to mind when you think of the word, “Transformation”?Do you have fantastic thoughts of people or things changing into something amazing for example, Clark Kent turning into Superman or Bruce Banner becoming the Incredible Hulk or possibly something a little more down to earth like a caterpillar miraculously changing into the beautiful butterfly?
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GRADY COUNTY FAIR RESULTS
Plants
Potted Plants
(Several varieties combined)
First: (Adult) Ann O'Bar
Second: (Adult) Joyce Riker
Third: (Adult) Jallane Link -
AROUND THE AREA
SEPTEMBER 2
Poetry Reading
• When: Sept. 2, 7 p.m.
• Where: Eduardo’s Mexican Restaurant, Private Room, 3127 S. 4th St., Chickasha
• Details: Featured Poet is Carol Hamilton, writer, storyteller and Poet Laureate of Oklahoma 1995-97Hamilton’s website is www.carolhamilton.org. There is no admission fee to attend the Poetry Reading, and refreshments are available for purchase. For more information, contact Rockford Johnson, 224-0160 or 317-7506. -
Duncan nips Chicks for straight-game win
Duncan got their eighth match win of the season Tuesday, beating Nancy Waters’ Lady Chicks in straight games at the Activity Center.
The Chicks looked like they had a little hangover from Monday night’s tough road loss at Tecumseh, coming out flat again and dropping their first two games by identical 25-17 scores.
They came out firing on all eight cylinders for game three, running out to a 15-9 lead on the strength of a 7-0 run with Shelby Crosley serving, but the Demons battled back to tie it late and the Chicks let it slip away, 25-21. -
STATE SPORTS BRIEFS
NORMAN (AP) — Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops has named walk-on Patrick O'Hara as the starting place-kicker for the seventh-ranked Sooners.
Stoops said on his radio show Tuesday night that O'Hara won the competition with Jimmy Stevens, freshman Michael Hunnicutt and redshirt freshman Bryce Easley. -
OSU's Gundy still learning on job
STILLWATER (AP) — Mike Gundy hasn't lost his love for dialing up the right play to keep Oklahoma State's offense purring along.
That passion, which he has called the most enjoyable part of his job as head coach, was bred into him as an offensive coordinator. And he is a former starting quarterback for the Cowboys. -
Whimsical metal work, jewelry part of big art show at USAO
A showing of whimsical metal work and jewelry is scheduled to be on display at the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma during Helen’s Show Sept. 10-Oct 1.
The show will feature the work of USAO graduate Helen Shafer. The exhibition will be open daily during normal business hours in the Davis Hall Third Floor Art Gallery on the USAO campus. The show is free and open to the public. An opening reception is scheduled Sept. 10 at 6 p.m. in the gallery. -
High-speed chase lands 1 in jail
A high-speed motorcycle chase down Highway 81 last Wednesday landed a Ninnekah man in jail and a felony charge of eluding a police officer.
Court records show that James William Hutchins, 21, blew by Oklahoma Highway Patrol Trooper Timothy Parrish at U.S. Highway 81 and County Road 1460 and was clocked going 144 miles per hour in a posted 70 miles per hour zone.
Parrish reported that he was sitting stationary at that location at about 3:45 p.m. on Aug. 25 when he observed a red motorcycle traveling southbound. He engaged his emergency lights and siren and pulled onto the roadway behind the Triumph motorcycle. -
5 inmates denied parole
Parole was recently denied for five Grady County inmates serving sentences with the Oklahoma Department of Corrections.
The following individuals were denied at the August Pardon and Parole Board meeting:
• Jeremiah Daniel Cline, who is serving a five-year sentence for distribution of a controlled dangerous substance and a five-year sentence for possession of a controlled dangerous substance, began his sentence in August 2008.
• Warren P. Diego, who is serving a 15-year sentence (10 years PTS) for lewd molestation, began his sentence in February 2009. -
Judge recuses herself from pharmacy case
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — A state district judge has stepped aside from the first-degree murder trial of a pharmacist accused in the fatal shooting of an unconscious would-be robber.
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Transformations
