Website offers tips about aggressive bees

Adrienne Packer

Friday, Aug. 21, 1998 | 10:47 a.m.

Forget the can of Raid. Las Vegas residents may have better luck using a mouse to fend off killer bees that invaded the valley two weeks ago.

People concerned about the recent Africanized honey bee invasion can click on a Clark County website that was built after a colony settled a little too close to home -- the Clark County Government Center.

"The first sighting in the city was in our own parking lot -- about 15 feet from my car," said Tom Warden, the county's public information officer. "It's an area where people are walking, and it reinforced the notion people should know what to do if they encounter the bees."

The new site, which can be found by directing the mouse to the county's Health and Environment icon, lets the public in on the government's planned bee sting.

The safest way to get rid of bee colonies is to summon the help of a pest control company. Bees buzzing around small cavities may be an indication of a colony, the website says.

Only specialists with a trained eye and a microscope can identify killer bees -- everyone else may find out the hard way. African honey Bees are extremely aggressive, even toward people simply walking past a hive.

Fortunately, according to the website, people run faster than bees fly. The best way to lose an agitated colony is to run in a serpentine pattern.

The two biggest mistake people make are fighting back or seeking refuge in a swimming pool.

"Do not jump into a swimming pool as they will wait until you surface," the website warns.

People who get stung should call 911 for help, especially if they count more than 15 stings. The site also offers phone numbers of agencies that can assist with removing hives.

"There are a lot of misconceptions about the bees, so we wanted to get the information out," said Warden, who added that the website went up on Thursday.

The Clark County homepage can be found at www.co.clark.nv.us.