text: Help! I've been stung and I'm all swolled up!
  April 20, 2011 at 2:25 pm | Report abuse |
  First fires and now bees?
  God really does hate Texas, it seems. Way to go, Pat! Way to go...
  Okay. I'm confused. I've always thought feral meant wild. Well, where I live all the bees are wild, but they certainly aren't Africanized.
  April 20, 2011 at 2:28 pm | Report abuse |
  jendlfy,
  Feral means that they are a domesticated animal that is living "wild" in a non-native environment. Since honeybees are not native to North America, the ones living in the wild (not part of an apiary, or bee farm) are considered feral. A yellowjacket in the same area (North America) would be considered wild (not feral) because it is native.
  This kind of stories give honey bees a bad rap. Most likely these were not bees at all, but yellow jackets or hornets. I wish journalists would do their research before posting a headline like this.
  April 20, 2011 at 2:33 pm | Report abuse |
  Actually, the stinging animals in question WERE almost certainly honeybees. There have been numerous deaths attributed to mass attacks by honeybees in Texas over the last two decades. That is not the case with yellowjackets or hornets.
  April 20, 2011 at 5:06 pm | Report abuse |
  My heart goes out to these elderly couple. May God have their souls in His Glory.
  April 20, 2011 at 2:34 pm | Report abuse |
  Bees have a mob mentality and will do everything they can to protect the hive when it is threatened. In a closed in space, like a living room, aggrevating of a colony of bees, killer or otherwise is not a good idea. Smoke does not calm bees or mess up their communications. Smoke makes bees think there is a fire and puts them in evacuation mode. They will return to the hive, gather as much homey as possible and leave. We use smoke to check the hives and gather honey. The effect is short lived and they once the smoke is gone they return to normal. I kept bees for years, inspected hives, gathered honey many many times and have been stung a total of three times. Just don't tick them off, that is the key.
  That's sad... Oh well, may they rest in peace.
  April 20, 2011 at 2:39 pm | Report abuse |
  This is awful. The couple lives to 90 and 92 years old and a bunch of bees do them in. I am so sorry for the family.
  build a fire to smoke the bees out? thats not the best idea, i live in texas and someplaces are already reaching 100+ degree weather. not including the massive grass fires we have everywhere
  April 20, 2011 at 2:42 pm | Report abuse |
  That's one of those things you should probably call in a professional for...especially if you're 92.
  April 20, 2011 at 2:45 pm | Report abuse |
  April 20, 2011 at 2:46 pm | Report abuse |
  Sad story, what a buzz kill!
  Guh, I have a phobia of bee's from my childhood, stung inside the right ear... bee got in the way of the car door and stung me... goosbumps all over me... RIP