The State - News from April 22, 1986

State officials announced a monitoring program at California ports to prevent Africanized “killer” bees from entering the state on ships arriving from South America. Experts suspect that Africanized bees found in Kern County last summer were “stowaways” on oil-drilling equipment brought in by ship from South America. The “killer” bees are far more prone than native bees to attack people and animals. Experts said interbreeding with domestic bees removed the fierce nature of the Africanized bees that were in California. The state Food and Agriculture and Health Services departments said they will work with county agriculture departments to monitor marine ports of entry throughout California. The state agencies will request health personnel at hospitals, emergency rooms and walk-in clinics to notify the agricultural commissioner in their counties of any multiple bee sting incidents.