Aggressive bees found in Las Vegas Valley

Friday, Aug. 14, 1998 | 2:08 a.m.

Representatives of the agency met with county officials to discuss the state's Africanized honey bee management plan.

Division scientists confirmed the bees have been found recently at the Clark County Government Center complex and a business in Boulder City.

The Africanized honey bee is more aggressive than its common relative, the European honey bee. The bee defends its hive more quickly and will pursue intruders more intensively.

The Africanized honey bees are commonly and inaccurately referred to as "killer bees," the agency said, adding the bees are not a major public health threat and their presence is no reason for alarm.

Paul Iverson, administrator of the Nevada Division of Agriculture, said it was "only a matter of time" before the Africanized bees arrived in Las Vegas.

"The abundance of both food and water in the Las Vegas Valley made their arrival an inevitability," he said.

State officials said the Africanized bee sting is no more dangerous than other bees, but the new breed is just more aggressive.

"What we are seeing is a mixing of genes in wild honey bee colonies located in the area," said John O'Brien, Nevada state apiarist. "This mixing has been found in swarms collected during the last month. Currently it is unclear how far north Africanized honey bees will advance."

O'Brien said there was no evidence that the bees have established any permanent colonies in the Las Vegas area.

He said the state agency would continue to monitor their movement and keep the public informed.