— Aurora Secondary disrupted on several occasions

A swarm of bees, believed to be of Africanised origin, has taken up residence at Aurora Secondary School, Region Two, for some time now, causing an alarm among students and teachers who are clamouring for their urgent removal.

The Africanised bee, also known as the Africanised honey bee and colloquially as “killer bee”, is a hybrid of the Western honey bee species produced originally by cross-breeding of the African honey bees, with various European honey bees such as the Italian bee and the Iberian bee.

A concerned teacher of the school, who requested anonymity, said the bees have been present at the school for over a year, even though reports have been made to the Guyana Livestock Development Authority (GLDA).

“We even went as far as to call the regional office in Region two, requesting that they get rid of the hives, but no one is doing anything about it,” said the teacher.
Children, teachers and residents of the area have been stung on many occasions, the teacher complained, adding that in addition to neighbouring houses, there is a nearby dormitory where children are housed.

“Having those nests in the area is a serious threat to everyone in the community, especially the children who live in the dormitory… whenever the bees raise up, we have to move the children from the school but we can’t always be there for those in the dormitory,” the educator lamented.

For this term alone, the school has been forced to dismiss school twice because the bees were swarming in the community.
“I desperately hope that someone does something with regards to this issue as soon as possible, for the lives of our students and teachers are at great risk,” said the concerned teacher.

Guyana Chronicle was unable to make contact with the GLDA for a response to the matter, but the Authority had recently advised the public to beware of Africanised bees after an elderly man was recently killed by a swarm.

GLDA advised the public that there are ways to be one step ahead of the bees.
One way in particular is to remove potential nesting sites so as to reduce the chances of the bees forming a colony on or around homes.
According to the GLDA, most Africanised bees do not live in boxes managed by bee-keepers, but rather in structures or other man-made cavities.

“If by some chance you encounter a colony of bees, it is advised that you run for at least 100 yards (300ft).
“In the event of an attack, cover your head and face as these bees tend to target these areas. Use a blanket, sheet or your shirt to cover your head and face.

“If you do not have anything to cover your head and face with, use your hands to cover your face, making sure not to cover your eyes so that you can still see,” the GLDA recommended.
For more information on how to deal with Africanised bees, persons were asked to contact the Bee Unit at the GLDA on 220-6557.