GEARS—the Global Entomology Agriculture Research Server, maintained as part of the Agricultural Research Series by the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture—is probably the best place around to learn what you need to know about bees, including the ferocious Africanized honeybee now found in our southern states. The site is rated highly by Point Communications and other reviewers, but your reaction is likely to be determined, at least in part, by the fascination or repugnance you feel for bees and other stinging insects.

(Editor's Note: the GEARS site no longer exists. Presumably, this reflects shifting priorities—and/or lack of funding—at the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture. The department still maintains an arid page devoted to the Carl Hayden Bee Research Center [see below].)

The site's physical location and focal point is the Carl Hayden Bee Research Center near Tucson, Arizona. There are many science- and insect-related links on the site, but bees are its primary business. You can peruse bee-related topics (organized by adult and K-12 levels) in the "Internet Classroom," delve into research topics such as "Varroa Mite Detection," or check out close-up photos and amplified insect sounds in the site's multimedia section (many of which suggest nothing so much as an old '50s sci-fi movie).

It is the page on Africanized honeybees, however, that will be of most interest to those who wish to avoid being stung, or who want to know what to do if attacked. The rules turn out to be fairly simple in either case.

To avoid what GEARS refers to as "a stinging incident," the best policy is to try to avoid bees altogether. Failing that, wear light clothing, do not apply scent of any sort, and avoid making loud noises or operating noisy machinery. If you ARE attacked, run like hell and don't stop until you reach shelter. (Water does not qualify as shelter, by the way—the bees will simply wait for you to come up for air.) Once sheltered, remove the bees' stingers. Do not pull them out, which can squeeze more venom into the wound; instead, use your fingernail or another straight-edged object to scrape the stingers out sideways. If you've been stung more than 15 times, or if you feel ill or have reason to believe you are allergic to bee stings, seek immediate medical attention.

If visiting this site gives you a buzz, you may want to investigate the beekeeping software on offer. BK-Economics 1.0 Beta (for 68k and PPC Macs) is available for download; a Windows port is in the works.

(Reviewed April 5, 1996)