How far can honey bees chase you?

Answer 1

It depends on the variety and the aggressiveness of bee. The European honey bee usually will stop chase after you are a 100 yards or less, depending on the terrain. By comparison, the Giant Asian honey bee has been reported to chase much further, as far as a mile or more, and is reputed to wait for individuals who have jumped into water. Africanized honey bees are also reputed to chase individuals for extremely long distances.

Bees seldom chase people unless they feel that their colony is threatened, or they are disturbed by unusual or sudden noises. They can also be disturbed by electromagnetic energy being released by thunder or lightning. They are also upset by the smell of alcohol and some perfume.

If you find yourself being chased by bees, the best practice is to head for some place dark -- like a garage or a shed. The bees will follow you in, but will head for the light of the windows. It's not a good idea to spray yourself with water, as it's ineffective and merely irritates them.

If you are approaching a known colony, it's best to have a bee smoker, veil, and gloves. The smell of smoke triggers a reaction in the bees to return to the hive and fill their bellies with honey. Once they have eaten the honey, they become slightly more lethargic.

In S.E. Asia, Asia, India, and Africa natives gather dried grass in leaves and create a primitive smoker. They completely wrap the grasses in the green leaves tightly, and light the grass. Then, as the smoke begins to smolder, they spread the smoke around them, getting the smell on their clothing. This offers some protection.