Africanized Honey Bee San Bernardino County Joshua Tree While sampling bees for AHB mitotype research in southern California, University of California, Davis, researcher Dave Nielsen found AHB in the Joshua Tree/Twentynine Palms area. The find is the first for San Bernardino County and is outside the AHB colonized area of California. The AHB colonized area in California has been expanded to cover this area. The new AHB colonized area is approximately 18,140 square miles and includes all of Imperial County and parts of Riverside, San Bernardino and San Diego Counties. This is an increase of 6,230 square miles. The first naturally migrating swarm of AHB in California was found near Blythe, Riverside County on October 24, 1994. Since then swarms, nests, and foraging AHB identifications have expanded the colonized area to its present size. To date their have been no human fatalities associated with AHB in California. Imperial County did record its first animal death (a dog) due to AHB during this month of May. Additionally, the state of Nevada recently reported it's first AHB find from the town of Laughlin. And Arizona newspaper reports document AHB incidents along the Colorado river (and California state border) in the Lake Havasu and Bull head City areas. These reports of AHB along the California state line were taken into consideration in the development of the new colonized area. CDFA Insect Biosystematist Tom Eichlin confirmed the determination based on mtDNA analysis performed by Scott Kinnee.
Prepared by: John Pozzi |
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