international news _ 12th December, 2006
Jellyfish Join Killer Bees In Miami Perfect Storm
Text by Jonty Skrufff (Skrufff.com)
Lifeguards posted purple flags along Miami’s beaches this week as shoals of
deadly Portuguese man-of-war jellyfish started washing up on shore.
CBS News described the jellyfish as ‘one of the most feared beach creatures’
while Phil Wooton from Palm Beach County Ocean Rescue warned they will
remain a threat until spring.
"They start in November and go through the holidays,” the marine expert
biologist told the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. "The last thing you want is
to have your back to the water and have one drift into your leg and wrap
itself around.”
Berlin electro-italo uber-producer Sasse told Skrufff this week he’d be
undeterred from attending March’s Winter Music Conference by the jellyfish
though admitted Miami’s Africanized ‘killer bees’ are a different matter.
“I’m totally scared of killer bees and that’s why I’m not going,” said
Sasse, “I’m scared of anything that’s small and flies and buzzes; I hate
bugs.”
The Finnish DJ/ producer/ Moodmusic boss conceded however, that he annually
overcomes his insect phobia to visit his wife’s family in Nicaragua (‘the
bees there are huge, they’re terrible) and said he’s really avoiding Miami
because he hated it there the last time he visited.
“I went to the Conference for one day in 2003, when we were on our way to
Nicaragua but I lost all interest in it from that moment,” he said.
“Sure you can do business there but to be honest if I’m going to do business
with somebody I’d rather call somebody and meet them one on one. The
Conference might be good if you don’t know anybody and want to go to all
those parties to meet people though if I want to have a good time I’ll go
somewhere else.”
The reality of killer bees throughout Florida was formally confirmed last
month by University of Florida entomologist. Dr. William H. Kern Jr. in an
interview with local newspaper Treasure Coast Palm
"Martin County has them, St. Lucie County definitely has them, and they are
increasingly abundant in Dade and Broward counties," Professor Kern said.
"We're not going to be able to stop them, they are established in Florida,"
The highly aggressive bees can attack when disturbed by loud noises such as
lawnmowers (or sound systems!) and are known to vindictively pursue targets
for over 300 metres.
“If you disturb a Killer Bee colony, run, run away as fast as possible
either
indoors or inside your car and call for help. The only appropriate response
to any swarm of bee is, get far away, fast!,” Central Florida’s Channel 13
News advised, also last month.
“Common sense for outdoor activities when bees might be encountered include:
watching for large numbers of bees (more than 20) and listen for buzzing. If
you believe bee are in the area, leave,” they added.
Sasse recently teamed up with Berlin studio mate Ewan Pearson and Metro
Area’s Darshan to write a song for Everything But The Girl singer Tracey
Thorne. The result- It’s All True; is out in January on Virgin.
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