Pesky Bugs

by Nick Coons
Apr 21, 2004

There are all sorts of pesky pests that come out as the weather warms up. Snakes are some of the dangerous ones, as mentioned last week. Though another one that comes to mind are bees. Over the past couple of years, Africanized bees, sometimes known as "killer" bees, have become more and more common.

As I approached the intersection of Scottsdale Rd. and Thomas Rd. a few days ago, I noticed a swarm of bugs flying around. Not wanting them infesting my car, I quickly rolled the windows up to avoid such an annoyance. It wasn't until after I drove into the swarm that I realized they were bees. I have to admit, this was the first swarm of bees I had ever driven into, so I had no idea if my car had any cracks or openings through which a swarm of bees would enter.

To my delight, no bees (that I could see) had entered the car. If you know me, then you can guess what I did next. Yes, I had to tempt fate and drive through the swarm again. Then I walked into the neighboring McDonald's to inform them of the hundreds of bees chasing away their potential customers.

Some quick tips: Bees can fly about 60 mph, so you can't run from them, and the act of running will keep them attracted to you. You can't wash them off with water, and they'll wait up to half an hour if you try and hide from them under water.

Bees sense adrenaline; if you're in a swarm, walk as quickly as possible away from the bees. You may have to go about a quarter mile before they lose interest in you. While spending the day outdoors, don't wear anything that has an odor. Yes, that unfortunately includes deodorant.