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Tuesday, Jul. 14, 1998
African bees a boon to exterminators
Increased sightings of aggressive insects keep S. Texas exterminators buzzing
Associated Press
BROWNSVILLE -- The buzz of Africanized bees is sounding more like ``ka-ching!'' to pest control companies in South Texas.
The increased Africanized bee activity in the Rio Grande Valley, along with the hype that accompanied their arrival a few years ago and continued publicity about attacks, have been a boon to bee killers.
In Brownsville alone, at least 10 people a day call an exterminator about a bee problem. About nine out of 10 calls are about Africanized bees, said Santana Lucio, owner of Lucio's Pest Control.
``European bees just fly around you. The African ones try to kill, surround you and chase you back to the truck,'' Lucio said. ``When we're done, our gloves are full of stingers.''
News reports of African bees injuring people or killing pets help the exterminators' business.
``When it's on TV that someone got stung 100 times or about dogs getting killed by bees, they get more concerned about the honey hives,'' said Gracie Waldhilm of Pest Com Inc.
To kill the aggressive bees, exterminators spray the hives with a soap and water mixture or a stronger insecticide, depending on the number of bees and their resilience.
The exterminators put themselves at risk when they take on the Africanized bees. Although the Africanized bees' sting is not more lethal than other bees', the insects are known to strike in swarms and pursue victims for greater distances.
``It's a job, and we'll do it. But, to be honest, there's been too many (calls), and they're very dangerous,'' Lucio said. ``One time, the African bees got under the veil of one of the sprayers and they almost killed him.''
In fact, the heavy protective gear sprayers wear, which includes openings for gloves and a face mask, is not always enough to protect them from an attack.
``You can still feel a strong stinging sensation where the bees are stinging you,'' said Beto Tijerina, an exterminator with Lara's Pest Control.
Exterminators often work after dark when the bees have settled down and won't be as quick to attack in a group.Post your comments about local news eventsFront Page || Main Index || News || Business || Texas || South Texas Outdoors || Birdwatching || Sports || Entertainment || Selena || Education || South Texas Attractions || World Wide Web