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Incident Record

Africanized bee colony found in Katrina-damaged St. Bernard Parish demolition house

A St. Bernard Parish house being demolished after Hurricane Katrina contained Africanized hybrid bees. The bees reportedly drove away demolition contractors and beekeepers before mosquito-control workers killed them; the state agriculture department confirmed the Africanized strain.

Record ID: LA-STBERNARD-2007-0101
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This record is part of a first-pass incident research dataset. Records, categories, and source notes may be updated as additional information is reviewed and verified.
Date 2007-01
Location St. Bernard Parish, LA, St. Bernard County, LA
State LA
Record Type Detection / Colony Disturbance / Public Safety
Trigger / Activity Construction / Equipment / Structural Work
Severity Public Safety Incident
Bee ID Status Confirmed Africanized
Aggression Classification Aggressive Bee Incident

Incident Summary

A St. Bernard Parish house being demolished after Hurricane Katrina contained Africanized hybrid bees. The bees reportedly drove away demolition contractors and beekeepers before mosquito-control workers killed them; the state agriculture department confirmed the Africanized strain.

Public-Safety Lesson

Structure work and demolition can expose hidden colonies. Aggressive bee behavior around damaged buildings should be treated as a worksite safety hazard.

Impact Flags

Human Fatality No
Human Hospitalized No
Animal Fatality No
Responder Involved No

Source Information

Source: CBS News / Associated Press

Source Strength: B - Established News