AFRICANIZED HONEY BEE DETECTED IN UTAH COUNTY
News Date June 03, 2009
Cedar City -- Utah Department of Agriculture and Food (UDAF) has detected the presence of the Africanized Honey Bee (AHB) in Cedar City, in Southern Utah. The single hive was located in the eaves of a residence and is being destroyed by a qualified pest control company.
The presence of Africanized bees in Utah is not believed to be wide spread. The public is being encouraged to approach all bees with caution and respect and report the presence of bees to the UDAF's St. George office at: (435) 634-5708. "It appears this hive was able to survive the cold winters of Cedar City because it sought shelter inside the walls of this residence," said Plant Industry Director, Clair Allen. "We do not believe honey bees can survive Utah’s freezing temperatures in hives that are unprotected," he added.
A number of bee traps are being placed in Cedar City and in other locations in Iron County to determine the extent of the spread of the Africanized bee population. The first confirmation of the presence of Africanized bees in Utah was made in February when five hives were discovered in Washington and Kane Counties. There have been no reported stinging attacks on humans or animals to date. To learn more about the location of AHB in Utah, and how to stay safe around bees, visit http://ag.utah.gov. (Contact: Larry Lewis by email at: larrylewis@utah.gov. or by phone at: 801-538-7104)