Are Africanized honey bees found in Santa Barbara County?
Unfortunately, Yes. Africanized honey bees were found from two bee swarms in Goleta and confirmed on September 3, 2002. The bees that were found were destroyed and no one was stung. Africanized honey bees can only be positively identified by genetic or morphometric analysis. Do not try to collect live bees yourself. Collecting live bee samples requires special training and equipment. This department conducts surveys to detect the AHB and provides technical assistance to emergency response personnel, hospitals, public agencies, and affected citizens in identifying and learning about Africanized honey bees.
