Were you in the Rio Grande Valley in 1990? Do you remember the fear over a new insect introduced to the area? The Museum of South Texas History presents “Killer Bees! The Panic over Africanized Honeybees in the Rio Grande Valley” featuring Dr. Jamie Starling, a Sunday Speaker Series Online presentation to be held at 2 p.m. Jan. 10 on Facebook Live.
In October 1990, Africanized Honeybees arrived in the Rio Grande Valley, after decades of anxiety over the spread of this subspecies from Brazil to the U.S.-Mexico borderlands. This presentation examines the origins of the “Killer Bee” panic, the dreaded arrival of the bees in Hidalgo County, and the unexpected outcomes of this event. Starling will discuss more on the destructive, but less noticed, invasive pest that had far more devastating consequences for honeybees and agriculture in North America during this period.
Starling is an associate professor of History at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley and an affiliate in the Mexican American Studies Program. He has published articles on the Rio Grande Valley, El Paso, and New Mexico on topics ranging from the colonial period through the Civil War. He also teaches undergraduate and graduate courses on American history with a focus on Texas, the American Southwest and borderlands.
The presentation will broadcast at facebook.com/MOSTHistory/live. Guests are encouraged to interact panelists with questions and comments posted on the live chat. The presentation will also be recorded and posted for public access on the Museum’s website at mosthistory.org.
This program is made possible by the generous support from the Carmen C. Guerra Endowment. Mrs. Guerra was committed to educational causes in the Rio Grande Valley. This named endowment was created by her family to honor her memory and to continue providing educational opportunities for the community.
About Museum of South Texas History
The Museum of South Texas History is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums. It is located downtown Edinburg at 200 North Closner Boulevard on the Hidalgo County Courthouse square. Founded in 1967 as the Hidalgo County Historical Museum in the 1910 Hidalgo County Jail, the museum has grown over the decades through a series of expansions to occupy a full city block. In 2003, following the completion of a 22,500 square foot expansion, the museum was renamed the Museum of South Texas History to better reflect its regional scope. Today, the museum preserves and presents the borderland heritage of South Texas and Northeastern Mexico through its permanent collection and the Margaret H. McAllen Memorial Archives and exhibits spanning prehistory through the 20th century. For more information about MOSTHistory, including becoming a FRIEND, visit MOSTHistory.org, like us on Facebook and Instagram, follow on Twitter, find on YouTube or call +1-956-383-6911.