Las Vegas NowExperts Offer Tips to Prevent Bee Attacks

Experts Offer Tips to Prevent Bee Attacks

A local man is recovering in the hospital after a massive bee attack. It happened on Saturday while he was cleaning up a vacant lot. The man accidentally disturbed a hive and was stung nearly 1,000 times.

Bee experts say it's too early in the season for attacks. Even though most of the hive has been destroyed, some of the surviving bees are Africanized bees and are known to be very aggressive.

"I've actually been at a job where I've been stung in a suit. I hopped in my truck and I had to drive down the road in order to get them all off," said Brett Ramsay with Clark County Vector Control.

Ramsey's job is to destroy dangerous bees and their hives. He says the entire population of bees in Clark County has now been Africanized. That means the bees are very aggressive, they attack in swarms, and have been known to follow their victims a quarter of a mile.

However, Ramsey says they won't attack as a swarm unless you disturb their hive, and that's what happened on Saturday.

Vector Control Supervisor Chris Bramley says you should keep an eye out for hives in the ground around your home when you are cleaning up this spring, "If you're trying to clean up a lot like this, spend time to look at all the piles and make sure there are no bee activities."

Africanized bees make their nests in the ground. Bramley says do not try to destroy a nest on your own. Using bug spray like Raid or hosing them off with water will only aggravate them even more. Let the experts handle it.

It's about $200 for some pest companies to destroy an Africanized bee hive, but it's safer for you and your family than doing it yourself.

If it's a private condemned property, call Clark County Vector Control. They'll come and destroy it. Their number is 455-7543