Killer Bee attack, 1 dead 1 injured

[Arkwood]

http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/06/02/18703314-killer-bees-leave-texas-man-dead-woman-in-serious-condition?lite

A Texas man was stung to death after he drove his tractor into a pile of wood that concealed a hive of 40,000 "killer bees," authorities and family members said Sunday.
Every inch of exposed skin was covered with stings on the body of Larry Goodwin, 62, of Moody, Texas, family members told NBC station KCEN of Waco.
Goodwin died Saturday when the Africanized honeybees swarmed him after his tractor struck a pile of wood that included an abandoned chicken coop where the bees had built their hive. The hive encompassed 22 honeycombs harboring an estimated 40,000 bees.


A woman and her daughter who tried to help Moody were stung about 100 times between them, KCEN reported. Neither woman has been identified, but McLennan County Chief Sheriff’s Deputy Matt Cawthon said the older woman was in serious condition, the Waco Tribune-Herald reported.


Africanized honeybees — a highly aggressive hybrid of the Western and African honeybees — spread fear in the U.S. long before they arrived in the country from Central America about 15 years ago, fueled by alarming reports of their tactic of swarming their prey in the thousands and earning them the nickname "killer bees."
While federal figures indicate that fewer than a dozen people have been killed by the bees in the U.S., they are anecdotally believed to be proliferating rapidly. Just 2½ months ago, on March 15, emergency crews were called out after thousands of the bees swarmed inside a family's home in Wichita Falls, Texas.

[Vance G]

I imagine the odds of getting attacked fatally by africanized bees is about the same as winning a big lottery.  That does not diminish the horror of it for those in their territory.  These attacks are not a good thing for beekeeping.

[Better.to.Bee.than.not]

shame it happened, but bottom line is people die, and really he is the one who made the error, clearly. people seem to think that merely because they claim land or a area, the rest of the world stops spinning and plays by their rules because they "own" it..... The bees didn't get the memo evidently.....but I imagine the bees will be the ones who lose in the whole ordeal....imagine if a breed of bee were to be bread with a more serious neural toxin...now that would give their species a fighting chance probably.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2318314/Camilla-effect-Sales-bee-venom-soar-Duchess-Cornwall-reveals-beauty-secret-Tulisa-Jourdan-Dunn-fans-too.html

[luvin honey]

That's too bad. What an awful way to go. We have plenty of brush and wood piles around our farm--can only imagine the horror of accidentally disturbing a hidden hive such as this one!

[Moots]

shame it happened, but bottom line is people die, and really he is the one who made the error, clearly. people seem to think that merely because they claim land or a area, the rest of the world stops spinning and plays by their rules because they "own" it..... The bees didn't get the memo evidently.....but I imagine the bees will be the ones who lose in the whole ordeal....imagine if a breed of bee were to be bread with a more serious neural toxin...now that would give their species a fighting chance probably.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2318314/Camilla-effect-Sales-bee-venom-soar-Duchess-Cornwall-reveals-beauty-secret-Tulisa-Jourdan-Dunn-fans-too.html

Darn! B2B
I don't think the poor guy was in a land dispute with the bees, I think he was simply the poor victim of an unfortunate accident.  As for your comment, "but I imagine the bees will be the ones who lose in the whole ordeal".  Really!  You think the bees will somehow be the big loser here :?
I'm thinking the man suffered a "pretty significant" loss...HIS LIFE!

I'm hoping you're not somehow equating a bees life with that of a human!

[chux]

I echo Moots. The danger of moving a pile of debri on your property is usually minimal. Most people wouldn't think to do a detailed inspection of a brush pile before moving it with a tractor. And while this incident will cause some uneducated people to think poorly of bees in general, more and more people are recognizing the difference between africanized and european honey bees. When people hear that I have gotten into bee keeping, here in eastern NC, I often hear comments about how bees are disappearing and they are glad I am bringing more bees into the area.
 

[Arkwood]

Good Honey producers (AHB) is not worth peoples lives.

[luvin honey]

shame it happened, but bottom line is people die, and really he is the one who made the error, clearly. people seem to think that merely because they claim land or a area, the rest of the world stops spinning and plays by their rules because they "own" it..... The bees didn't get the memo evidently.....but I imagine the bees will be the ones who lose in the whole ordeal....imagine if a breed of bee were to be bread with a more serious neural toxin...now that would give their species a fighting chance probably.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2318314/Camilla-effect-Sales-bee-venom-soar-Duchess-Cornwall-reveals-beauty-secret-Tulisa-Jourdan-Dunn-fans-too.html

Darn! B2B
I don't think the poor guy was in a land dispute with the bees, I think he was simply the poor victim of an unfortunate accident.  As for your comment, "but I imagine the bees will be the ones who lose in the whole ordeal".  Really!  You think the bees will somehow be the big loser here :?
I'm thinking the man suffered a "pretty significant" loss...HIS LIFE!

I'm hoping you're not somehow equating a bees life with that of a human!

Exactly. I was wondering about the tone also.

[Better.to.Bee.than.not]

Darn! B2B
I don't think the poor guy was in a land dispute with the bees, I think he was simply the poor victim of an unfortunate accident.  As for your comment, "but I imagine the bees will be the ones who lose in the whole ordeal".  Really!  You think the bees will somehow be the big loser here :?
I'm thinking the man suffered a "pretty significant" loss...HIS LIFE!

I'm hoping you're not somehow equating a bees life with that of a human!

ya the man lost his life, I'm betting the bees will lose their whole colony, and if it was up to some involved, I'd bet their whole subspecies.... and no, I'm not one of those folks who thinks a animals or a bee's life is worth even close to a humans, unless it is someone I personally do not like, but it simply is what it is, and all things considered humans are easily the most destructive entity on the planet to the planet and to everything else...I know I am. and I also disagree about it being a land dispute with the guy and the bees, AHB just seem to be like klingons at the negotiation table.

[Moots]

ya the man lost his life, I'm betting the bees will lose their whole colony, and if it was up to some involved, I'd bet their whole subspecies.... and no, I'm not one of those folks who thinks a animals or a bee's life is worth even close to a humans, unless it is someone I personally do not like, but it simply is what it is, and all things considered humans are easily the most destructive entity on the planet to the planet and to everything else...I know I am. and I also disagree about it being a land dispute with the guy and the bees, AHB just seem to be like klingons at the negotiation table.

B2B,
As for humans being destructive to the planet...you give us way to much credit!  We couldn't destroy the planet if we tried.  We could maybe render it unfit for human habitation, but the planet would survive and be just fine.

As for your other comments....Yeah, it is what it is!  And what it is, Is a tragic unfortunate accident, I'm not sure why you're having so much trouble seeing it as that!  Perhaps if it was your father, or brother, or son you may view it a little differently. Or, perhaps not! 

[Better.to.Bee.than.not]

 but it simply is what it is, and all things considered humans are easily the most destructive entity on the planet to the planet and to everything else...I know I am.

B2B,
As for humans being destructive to the planet...you give us way to much credit!  We couldn't destroy the planet if we tried.  We could maybe render it unfit for human habitation, but the planet would survive and be just fine.

As for your other comments....Yeah, it is what it is!  And what it is, Is a tragic unfortunate accident, I'm not sure why you're having so much trouble seeing it as that!  Perhaps if it was your father, or brother, or son you may view it a little differently. Or, perhaps not! 

uh huh......I am a bit confused now....because you directly quoted me, even bolded the text, and yet still " humans are easily the most destructive entity on the planet to the planet and to everything else...I know I am. " != "you give us way to much credit!  We couldn't destroy the planet if we tried."....so in reality it is you giving way to much credit, I simply said humans are easily the most destructive entity on the planet, to the planet, and everything else....are you still shooting to somehow peg me as some tree hugging liberal or something?

and yes I know it is a tragic accident...although, I wish they would redefine accident to mean things that happen by unforeseeable factors, not simply unseen factors or mistakes, personally. that is why I started my whole response right off the bat with "shame it happened." I really am unclear as to why you would make a statement like you are not clear as to why I'm having trouble understanding something, I have already clearly stated, and then turn around and use the exact same phraseology while you agree with me...it is what it is and also direct quote me and claim I am saying something I obviously am not saying, its all really a moots point though evidently.

[beek1951]

All bees sting and 100 stings would effect almost anyone
to a great degree. Tragic accident (that's what they call an event
that is nobodies  fault) I have seen very few 'Killer" or Africanized
bees in my career as a beekeeper. When I was a kid it used to be
"the Martians are coming!" <g>.

[Moots]

uh huh......I am a bit confused now....because you directly quoted me, even bolded the text, and yet still " humans are easily the most destructive entity on the planet to the planet and to everything else...I know I am. " != "you give us way to much credit!  We couldn't destroy the planet if we tried."....so in reality it is you giving way to much credit, I simply said humans are easily the most destructive entity on the planet, to the planet, and everything else....are you still shooting to somehow peg me as some tree hugging liberal or something?

and yes I know it is a tragic accident...although, I wish they would redefine accident to mean things that happen by unforeseeable factors, not simply unseen factors or mistakes, personally. that is why I started my whole response right off the bat with "shame it happened." I really am unclear as to why you would make a statement like you are not clear as to why I'm having trouble understanding something, I have already clearly stated, and then turn around and use the exact same phraseology while you agree with me...it is what it is and also direct quote me and claim I am saying something I obviously am not saying, its all really a moots point though evidently.

B2B,
By all means, let me attempt to alleviate your confusion.

First, I was not trying to peg you as some "tree hugging liberal".  Although, since you mention it, the general point of view that somehow "Man" is terrible and horrible, and the planet would be better off without us, does strike me as a bleeding heart liberal type of view.

Actually, I was trying to peg you more as an uncaring, unsympathetic, pompous @ss....nothing to do with political affiliation, they come in both liberal and conservative varieties, I'm sure!

Maybe that's a bad read on my part.  But statements like "ya the man lost his life", "it simply is what it is", "bottom line is people die", and "really he is the one who made the error, clearly"....gave me that impression, others may view it differently.

Yes, the man made a mistake, it's typically how "accidents" happen.  I'm note sure we as humans are ready to be held to your standards of, anything short of perfection is unacceptable.  It's not like he did something blatantly irresponsible, I think he did something that could have happened to most anyone...yet you make it sound like he got what he deserved for having the nerve to think he had the right to clear a piece of property on his land.  Sorry, but that strikes me as a bit harsh.  

[capt44]

Africanized Bees are making there way north.
We have a few here in North Central Arkansas.
I had to have the inspector do a test on a swarm I found outside my shop.
He did a FABIS (Fast Africanized Bee Identification System)
They are doing a full morphometric analysis on them now.
Them gals had about 4 attitudes that day.
But the rule of thumb is when walking along and bees start flying into you like someone throwing pea gravel on you, just stop, turn around and walk not run the way you came from.
They are telling you that you're getting too close to their nest.

[Better.to.Bee.than.not]

B2B,
By all means, let me attempt to alleviate your confusion.

First, I was not trying to peg you as some "tree hugging liberal".  Although, since you mention it, the general point of view that somehow "Man" is terrible and horrible, and the planet would be better off without us, does strike me as a bleeding heart liberal type of view.

Actually, I was trying to peg you more as an uncaring, unsympathetic, pompous @ss....nothing to do with political affiliation, they come in both liberal and conservative varieties, I'm sure!

Maybe that's a bad read on my part.  But statements like "ya the man lost his life", "it simply is what it is", "bottom line is people die", and "really he is the one who made the error, clearly"....gave me that impression, others may view it differently.

Yes, the man made a mistake, it's typically how "accidents" happen.  I'm note sure we as humans are ready to be held to your standards of, anything short of perfection is unacceptable.  It's not like he did something blatantly irresponsible, I think he did something that could have happened to most anyone...yet you make it sound like he got what he deserved for having the nerve to think he had the right to clear a piece of property on his land.  Sorry, but that strikes me as a bit harsh.  

ah...now I got it, you have indeed clarified things for me...you obviously do not know how to read correctly, and understand even less when you attempt it....because now you are directly quoting things like "really he is the one who made the error, clearly","Man" is terrible and horrible, and the planet would be better off without us, and attempting to claim I said them when I said absolutely nothing of the sort at all, as well as the various other things you totally misconstrued and you evidently just made it up in your head or something. so ya....maybe thats a 'bad' on your part indeed.  What I said had nothing to do with uncaring, or being unsympathetic nor being pompous or a '@ss'. As I stated, it merely is what it is. a shame it happened. YMMV, if you do not like the way I relate to things, sowwy..... I imagine you'll survive, and if not...well, its just the way it is, a shame as well. maybe you can worry about running your own life for a bit, especially the lack of ability to read correctly and comprehend, and not worry about me being sensitive enough for you?
this is a done discussion with you as far as I'm concerned. I realize as you read this and pass it through your internal filters it will more then likely come out totally differently then what I am saying anyways from past evidence, but be warned purposely misquoting someone and claiming they are saying something totally different then what they are for "Actually, I was trying to peg you more as an uncaring, unsympathetic, pompous @ss" is libel. Best of wishes. hope we can move on now, as I already have.

[sc-bee]

 Heres to you better to be :( Better lock this one Beemaster before I really say what I think!

[sc-bee]

Moot lay low dude ;) Some things just don't sink in with some folks :roll:

[Moots]

ah...now I got it, you have indeed clarified things for me...you obviously do not know how to read correctly, and understand even less when you attempt it....because now you are directly quoting things like "really he is the one who made the error, clearly","Man" is terrible and horrible, and the planet would be better off without us, and attempting to claim I said them when I said absolutely nothing of the sort at all, as well as the various other things you totally misconstrued and you evidently just made it up in your head or something. so ya....maybe thats a 'bad' on your part indeed.  What I said had nothing to do with uncaring, or being unsympathetic nor being pompous or a '@ss'. As I stated, it merely is what it is. a shame it happened. YMMV, if you do not like the way I relate to things, sowwy..... I imagine you'll survive, and if not...well, its just the way it is, a shame as well. maybe you can worry about running your own life for a bit, especially the lack of ability to read correctly and comprehend, and not worry about me being sensitive enough for you?
this is a done discussion with you as far as I'm concerned. I realize as you read this and pass it through your internal filters it will more then likely come out totally differently then what I am saying anyways from past evidence, but be warned purposely misquoting someone and claiming they are saying something totally different then what they are for "Actually, I was trying to peg you more as an uncaring, unsympathetic, pompous @ss" is libel. Best of wishes. hope we can move on now, as I already have.

As for this discussion being done, between us....THANK GOD!  :)

As for my statement being libel.....SUE ME!  :-D

As for sc-bee's suggestion for me to lay low because "Some things just don't sink in with some folks"....NO DOUBT!  SO, SO, SO....TRUE!  :laugh:

[BlueBee]

Moots you must be a real hoot at a party. :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

Back on topic:  This was obviously a very sad accident.  My non beek friends don’t know a honey bee from a yellow jacket so there is little chance they’ll cut the European Honey Bee any slack when they read stories such as this.  It seems human nature to fear what we don’t know.  Lots of people don’t know much about bees; other than they sting.  :(

On a personal note, what really worries me is some of these Africans getting shipped up here to the north.  About the time there are some attacks up here, people will really start to question rather the whole industry is riddled with problems. 

[buzzbee]

Since you guyds are going to resort to  not being able to politely discuss this matter the topic will be locked.
Here is rule 2 of the forum bylaws:

RULE 2) BE KIND and INTERACT, NOT REACT. AGREE TO DISAGREE EVEN IF ATTACKED BY ANOTHER MEMBER - WE WILL HANDLE THE OTHER MEMBER.

If you don't agree with someone's view, EXPRESS your views rather than tear down theirs. You have the option on EVERY POST to report that post to Moderators, use this to quickly make us aware of a possible problem, we will take it from there.

Be kind to other members, do not put them down, bait them into fighting or do anything to create a fight whether in open forum or private messaging. Trashing another member will surely lead you toward the banishment door quickly. New members are expected to abide by the same rules as seasoned members. We believe that Ignorance of a rule is NO excuse to break it – you are expected to read the bylaws and strictly abide by them.

I have been busy enjoying the outdoors, but have been checking in. If the broom needs to sweep,it will as it has in the past. Be on your toes, don't just take this behaviour to another thread.

If you are wondering where these rules are and have never bothered to read them, here is the link. It's easy to find if you look at the top of the main forum page.
http://forum.beemaster.com/index.php/topic,19652.0.html