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INTRODUCTION. Honey bees get their common name from the sweet yellowish to brownish fluid they make from the nectar of flowers and use as food.  Honey bees not only provide honey and wax, but as pollinators are of far greater importance.  They are also responsible for a large share of insect stings, although many stings blamed on bees are actually done by yellowjackets.  Honey bees are worldwide in distribution.

RECOGNITION. Adult workers body length about 1/2-5/8 (11-15 mm).  Color usually orangish brown to sometimes black with body mostly covered with branched, pale hairs, most dense on thorax.  Eyes hairy.  First segment of hind tarsus enlarged, flattened.  In addition, hind tibiae lack apical spurs; front wing venation with marginal cell narrow, aprallel-sided, and 3^rd submarginal cell oblique; hind wings with jugal lobe (lobe on rear margin near body).  Barbed stinger present.

     Queens slightly larger, about 5/8-3/5 (15-20 mm) long, pointed abdomen extends well beyond wing tips, with smooth stinger.  Males or drones robust, about 5/8 (15-17 mm) long, stinger absent.

     Africanized honey bees look just like our domestic bees.  A specialist is required to identify individual specimens.

HABITS.Honey bees are not aggressive, and do not search for something to attack.  Instead, they are defensive and will attack only whatever seems to threaten the colony.

     Swarms first move to a temporary site such as a tree branch. The swarm will usually remain here for about 24-48 hours until permanent quarters are located and then moves on.  Permanent quarters may consist of a bee hive, hollow tree, hollow wall, attic, etc., typically some place which is sheltered from the weather.

     Bees in a swarm are very docile and not likely to sting because they harbor no food stores or young and therefore, have nothing to defend.  Likewise, honey bees encountered away from the hive are unlikely to sting unless severely provoked, like stepping on them.  However, if the hive entrance is approached, the guard bees can become very aggressive.  Worker bees have barbed stingers and when used, the stinger, poison sac, and associated tissue are torn from the body.  If the stinger is not removed immediately, muscle contractions will drive the stinger deeper and deeper into the skin and there is greater time for toxin injection.  In addition, the stinger gives off a pheromone which attracts other bees and induces an alarm and attack behavior.  Therefore, immediate removal with a fingernail or knife blade is recommended; squeezing only forces more venom in.

     The normal reaction to bee stings is local pain for a few minutes following by swelling at the sting site which subsides in a few hours.  Often itching and heat may last for a few hours.  First-aid consists of quickly removing the stinger with a fingernail or knife blade.  After stinger removal, do not rub the area because this causes the venom to spread, or scratch the area which may cause secondary infection, but clean it with soap and water followed by an antiseptic.  A cold compress with reduce pain and swelling.  If the reaction is more severe than a small welt, consult a physician immediately because death can occur within 15-30 minutes from severe allergic reactions.

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