The buzz over killer bees

They're here!

Killer bees have officially set up a base camp in southern Utah.

But don't be afraid.

Just be cautious.

First, Utah's public service officials have been expecting the Africanized bees for some time. Exterminators and law enforcement officers in the St. George area have been trained to deal with them. And a push is on to help educate the public. The key is to not overreact. Killer bees are dangerous, but so are wasps, yellow jackets and hornets. And these are just another brand of bee.

In Brazil, European bees were bred with African bees. And the result has been "bees with attitude," according to agriculture authorities. They are aggressive and go after anything that annoys them. They don't have poison or venom. But pets and livestock — and some humans — have been stung to death by the angry insects once their dander is up.

The key, according to officials, is to keep cool and be smart. They gather, like other bees, in awnings, water-meter boxes, mobile-home skirts and other shady areas. Officials can help you distinguish between the types.

Surrounding states have been dealing with them for some time as the bees work their way north. And many observers feel southern Utah may be about as far north as they are willing to go. In fact, the bees may even end up playing a positive role in Utah's agriculture there.

Their name, of course, is what triggers dark fantasies. But real life seldom plays out like a thriller novel. The bees are not going to zoom into the living room and whisk away the cat.

Still, there's no excuse to remain clueless. The lesson of the killer bee is age-old. As human beings we forget, at times, we are creatures of the natural world. Nobody gets to live in a bubble. There will always be dangerous creatures about — from black widow and brown recluse spiders to rattlesnakes and rabid rabbits.

The worst attitude is complacency, a sense of false security.

The best attitude is healthy respect for all creatures — whether they sting or not.