Africanized Honeybee
DB: This is Earth and Sky. They’re nicknamed “killer bees,” but Africanized honeybees don’t roam in swarms looking for victims.
JB: These bees react only when they feel threatened – but they do feel threatened more easily than other honeybees. African honeybee queens were imported by Brazilian scientists in the 1950s to breed a honeybee for use in tropical climates. Some swarms escaped into the wild. With no natural competitors, they spread rapidly through South and Central America, and Mexico. By 1990, the bees had made it into the southwestern U.S.. No one knows how far they’ll migrate in North America. They’re limited by food availability more than cold temperatures. That’s because Africanized honeybees tend to use all their pollen and honey reproducing, rather than storing it up like other bees. When winter comes, they run out of food and starve.
DB: Africanized honey bees are difficult to manage and produce less honey than regular honeybees – so beekeepers don’t like them. Then there’s the stinging. It’s not that each sting is worse, it’s just that more bees participate. Once they attack, they’ll continue the chase for a long distance.
JB: But these so-called “killer” bees don’t disrupt existing habitats. And they’re good for pollinating a garden. Remember – if you see any bee colony – leave it alone. Thanks today to the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and to the U.S. Forest Service.
The following individuals were interviewed for today’s show.
Our thanks to:
Kathleen Phillips
Texas A&M University
Texas Agricultural Experiment Station
Justin O. Schmidt, PhD
Carl Hayden Bee Research Center
Tucson, Arizona
P. Kirk Visscher
Department of Entomology
University of California
Riverside CA,
California Africanized Honey Bee Page:
More Resources:
Where they are now:
Map of AHB colonized area in California This map is compiled by the California Dept. of Food and Agriculture (current as of December 2001); you will need Acrobat Reader to view it. Updates, if any, can be found on CDFA’s site
Africanized Bees:
The Department of Entomology at the University of California at Riverside offers statistics on Africanized honey bees, information about their spread in the United States, a medical article on the removal of stings, and other resources.
bees.ucr.edu
Texas A& M – ApNews – Africanized Honeybee
Additional Teacher Resources
U.S. Geological Survey: Africanized Bees in North America
This site provides an in-depth natural history of Africanized bees and the forces that drove their population expansion from Africa, to South America to the recent push into North America.
Invasive Species.gov, Species Profile: Africanized Honeybee
This site is a great resource for a variety of federal, state and academic links to more information on the Africanized honeybee. A great source for answers to any question concerning this species.
California Department of Food & Agriculture, Pest Detection/Emergency Projects Branch: Africanized Honeybee: Fact vs. Fiction
This site elaborates on common facts and myths about “killer bees” including, Africanized bees vs. European bees, avoiding an attack, bee identity, nest sites, creating a safer environment, treating stings, and a links to the “most comprehensive ?killer bee’ sites on the web.”
