Summer is here, and as yard and field work increase, so do the chances of bee attacks.
Texas A&M Agrilife Extension Entomologist Sonja Swiger says you should always scout out areas where you’ll be working ahead of time, but if you do get attacked by bees, run to safety as fast as you can.
First, don’t try to fight them off; just run.
She says the Texas man killed by bees earlier this year stopped and tried to spray them off with a hose.
Don’t drive a tractor, because the bees can fly faster than it can go, but you should be able to outrun them on foot.
Get inside of a building or car where you can keep them out.
Swiger says contrary to popular belief, you shouldn’t jump into water because Africanized bees will wait around for you, chase you up to a quarter mile, and continue to attack until they feel satisfied.
She says the best safety precaution is to keep bees from having places to live by keeping your land clear of abandoned cars, empty bins, and undisturbed holes, pipes, and brush piles.
Finally, when checking the area where you’ll be working ahead of time, Swiger says to choose early morning or dusk, when the bees are less active.
Texas A&M Agrilife Extension Entomologist Sonja Swiger visits with WTAW’s Kat McMullen