The Africanized worker bees gather both pollen and nectar from flowers to feed to the larvae and other members of the colony.

These so-called killer bees were established when bees from southern Africa and local Brazilian honey bees mated.

The Africanized bee was first identified in Brazil in the 1950s, but it quickly spread through Central and South America after a handful of swarms escaped quarantine.

The first Africanized bees in the United States were discovered in 1985 at an oil field in California.

Then, in 1990, the first permanent Africanized bee colonies arrived in Texas from Mexico.

Today, Africanized honey bees are found in southern California, southern Nevada, Arizona, Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, western Louisiana, southern Arkansas, and central and southern Florida.

Africanized bees are slightly smaller than their counterpart.

Be careful around holes in the ground, especially when mowing the lawn or otherwise maintaining property.

If you live within 100 miles of an area where Africanized honeybees are common, it is not recommended to approach any nest.

Because of their aggressive nature, it can be extremely dangerous to attempt to deal with a killer bee problem on your own.

They have been known to live in tires, crates, boxes, water meter boxes, tree limbs, utility poles, junk piles, holes in the ground, mailboxes, overturned flower pots and empty cars.

All of these spots are prime locations for accidental run-ins with unsuspecting people or animals.

If under attack by an Africanized honeybee, run quickly away in a zig zag pattern and seek shelter indoors or in a car as soon as possible.

Experts do not recommend jumping in a body of water to avoid the killer bees, as they will wait above the surface for their target to emerge.

Eliminate moisture and standing water in and around the home.

Finally, avoid wearing dark colors, floral prints, loose-fitting clothes, open-toe shoes and sweet-smelling perfume or cologne.

Symptoms of localized reactions to Africanized honeybee stings include pain, swelling, warmth, redness at sting site and itching.

The onset of symptoms of a local reaction is immediate and can last from a few hours up to a week depending on the size of the reaction.

Large local reactions may be accompanied by fatigue and nausea.

Secondary bacterial infections may occur if stings are scratched excessively or not adequately cleaned, disinfected and medicated.

Symptoms of anaphylaxis include itching, rashes or hives, tightness or swelling in the throat, stomach pain, nausea and vomiting and dizziness.

More severe cases of anaphylaxis include symptoms such as severe shortness of breath, a drop in blood pressure, loss of consciousness and shock.

Insect stings are the leading cause of anaphylaxis-related deaths in the U.S.

Killer Bees Wasps And Spiders