Bees expected to get even more aggressive in West Virginia

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WBOY) — Wasps, especially yellow jackets and hornets, have already taken over many yards in West Virginia this summer, but according to the West Virginia Department of Health (DH), it’s going to get worse before it gets better.

Several West Virginians died after being stung by bees early in the summer , and they have continued to get more aggressive. According to a press release from the DH, emergency room visits in the state from bee stings have “increased significantly compared to last year.”

“Yellow jacket wasps are particularly aggressive at this time of year,” West Virginia state public health entomologist Eric Dotseth said in a release from Thursday. “With the current environmental conditions, including low precipitation affecting flowering plants, these wasps are in search of food, leading to increased encounters with humans.”

West Virginia has been experiencing a drought since July, with extreme drought (D3) conditions spread across most of the state, per the new drought monitor released Sept. 26 .

During the transition from summer to fall, their natural prey will diminish, meaning they will get even more aggressive as they search for “sugary food sources.” Swarms will frequently find their way into yards, especially around garbage cans and recycling bins where there is residue from sugary drinks.

Although most bee stings can be treated at home, anyone who experiences symptoms of severe reaction or anaphylaxis, which include difficulty breathing, nausea and vomiting, dizziness, rapid heartbeat, fainting and loss of consciousness, swelling of the face, throat, and tongue, or pale or flushed skin, should use their prescribed Epi-Pen or go to the nearest emergency room immediately.

Wasp season runs until October, so by late fall, the bees will begin to die off and they should be gone by early winter.

According to the DH, there is no comprehensive annual data on yellow jacket activity, making it hard to monitor trends.

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