Bee swarms set residents abuzz

Shuli Sudderuddin Straits Times 11 Jul 10;

They coat the facade of walls, stairwells and even windows, causing a buzz in the neighbourhoods they infest.

Bee sightings are becoming more frequent this month, as the pests have been spotted in the housing estates of Hougang, Serangoon and Pasir Ris.

Two weeks ago, interior designer Edmund Lim, 29, was shocked to see thousands of bees clustered densely on the facade and inner wall of a stairwell at Block 698D, Hougang Street 52.

'The bees were still at first, but when pest controllers started smoking them, they flew in all directions. We ran into our homes and shut the doors,' he said.

His alarm was nowhere near what senior system analyst Charis Chin, 38, experienced two weeks ago.

She was horrified to find a thick 'coating' of bees on the window of her 11th-floor HDB flat in Pasir Ris.

As the air-conditioner was switched on, the window was shut. Still, she and her husband ran through the flat shutting all other windows and making sure their son, aged five, was not stung.

They then contacted the town council, which eradicated the bees.

In another stir at Serangoon Central, systems analyst Sunny Lye, 53, was shocked to find 'thousands' of bees swarming around his parents' 12th-floor flat.

Shown pictures of the bees, Mr Lesster Leow, a Singapore bee-keeper who is based in Uganda, said they looked like a species of honey bee known as Apis dorsata, which is the size of a little finger.

These migratory bees may have stopped over in residential areas after the destruction of trees they would otherwise have settled on.

'They might have found a new site which is quite a distance, in which case they would find a resting place before they continue their journey,' he said.

There are apparently three species of honey bees in Singapore. Their stings can be dangerous if people are allergic to the toxins.

Town council spokesmen said Housing Board residents should contact them so they can call pest-control specialists to trace the bees.

At condominiums, residents should alert the management office, while those living in landed homes can contact a pest controller.

A spokesman for Pasir Ris-Punggol Town Council said feedback about bees is higher during the months of April to June.

This is typically the flowering season, and flowers attract bees.

She added that while the town councils understand residents' concern over bees flying near their homes, honey bees are generally harmless if people do not disturb them.

Stung by a bee? Do not squeeze
Straits Times 11 Jul 10;

When a bee stings, its stinger is left in the skin.

Remove the stinger by scraping it off with a fingernail or with the edge of a thin object.

However, do not force it out as it is barbed and will release more venom if you squeeze it.

Apply a cold compress or ice to reduce the swelling.

The more times one is stung, the more severe the reactions.

Swelling usually disappears within 24 hours.

If you experience difficulty in breathing, giddiness, break into a cold sweat, or faint, seek medical attention immediately.