The Postmaster for Middletown, Deborah Kendzior, stresses that dogs remain a serious concern for letter carriers. But, she adds, “did you know that stinging insects — bees, wasps, hornets, wasp or yellow jackets — pose a real threat to anyone who approaches your mailbox? That’s means your letter carrier and you.”

An insect bite is an unpleasant experience. According to the Mayo Clinic, About 10 percent of people who get stung by a bee or other insect have a bit stronger reaction (large local reaction), with signs and symptoms such as: Extreme redness or swelling at the site of the sting that gradually enlarges over the next day or two.

Only a limited portion of the population -- one or two people out of 1,000 -- is allergic or hypersensitive to bee or wasp stings. But it serious business and should be avoided.

“Bees nest in hidden places.  What better hiding place than a mailbox, particularly a mailbox with flowers planted along its base,” adds Postal Safety Manager Roger Twerion.  “That’s why we ask your help in identifying potential mailbox nesting sites in this area.  Trim or remove plantings at mailboxes when bees are plentiful.”

Not everyone has problems with bee hives and every mailbox, of course, is not a hazard. But remember, bees can move in very quickly. Sometimes nests can be set up overnight and a warm spring has brought bees out sooner than typical in Connecticut.

According to Mr. Twerion, “it is smart to ‘bee’ alert to signs of bees in your yard.”

For example, if you discover a nest, don't disturb it. Vibration and exhaust from mowers, a letter carrier’s vehicle or other equipment can also disturb a beehive, and bees will respond by attacking. You may need a pest control operator to remove some nests.

“As always, preventing the sting is far preferable than preparing a remedy,” adds Ms. Kendzior. “With your help, we can all ‘bee’ a little safer this season!”

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A list of processing facilities studied, FAQs, mail processing b-roll, and additional information can be found at usps.com/ourfuturenetwork.

A self-supporting government enterprise, the U.S. Postal Service is the only delivery service that reaches every address in the nation, 151 million residences, businesses and Post Office Boxes. The Postal Service receives no tax dollars for operating expenses, and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations. With nearly 32,000 retail locations and the most frequently visited website in the federal government, usps.com, the Postal Service has annual revenue of more than $65 billion and delivers nearly 40 percent of the world’s mail. If it were a private sector company, the U.S. Postal Service would rank 35th in the 2011 Fortune 500. In 2011, the U.S. Postal Service was ranked number one in overall service performance, out of the top 20 wealthiest nations in the world, Oxford Strategic Consulting. Black Enterprise and Hispanic Business magazines ranked the Postal Service as a leader in workforce diversity. The Postal Service has been named the Most Trusted Government Agency for six years and the sixth Most Trusted Business in the nation by the Ponemon Institute.