In the 1950s , Brazilian scientist Warwick Kerr traveled to southerly Africa to assay out a race of Apis melifera . In an attempt to combine the European honeybee ’s disposition and love - making power with the breeding energy of African honey bee , Kerr produce something blood-related to a Marvel comic tiptop scoundrel : a substantial yet belligerent honeybee loanblend .
In 1957 , upon return to Brazil , Kerr ’s help accidentally released the crossbreed to the wild , where it pair with feral Apis mellifera populations and has been motivate northward into the U.S. ever since . To further assure its comic - book creation story , the Africanized honey bee has since been knight “ The Killer Bee . ”
As a North American beekeeper , here ’s what you involve to know about the Africanized beloved bee .
1. The Africanized Honey Bee & European Honey Bee Look Nearly Identical
At least to the lay person or raw oculus . Unless you ’re an expert , or have admission to labs to deal deoxyribonucleic acid test on suspected AHBs , you in all probability wo n’t be capable to tell your own bee from the AHBs . They are rather alike in path under the surface , too .
Like the EHB , the AHB produces honey and create and be in identical colony structures . The AHB does n’t produceas muchhoney , as its genetics does n’t call for it — the EHB has evolved to adapt to wintertime , which require put in big amounts of honey for long periods when there are n’t bloom flowers .
In contrast , the AHB give rise more comb , more rapidly , and it lean to put more vigor towards rearing new . It ’s also splendid at pollination . Most significantly , the Africanized honey bee ’s cut is very in sizing , and its venom is identical in potency to the European love bee . The departure is made up in the number of bees that join an attack when it is launched — they prick in larger numbers .
2. Africanized Honey Bees Are Easily Agitated
They ’re very strong , very defensive and very aggressive . A disturbance that might beam out 10 or 20 European safety gadget bee to provide warning to a potential intruder , would send out K of Africanized guard bee to defend the beehive , and they will just do so with more fervor . What ’s more , the AHBs will remain agitated for up to 24 hour . ( EHBs usually calm down within a few hours tops , depending on the harshness of the disturbance . ) It ’s likely that these highly fast-growing trait are a result of wide predation by animals , wench and reptile during their phylogenesis .
3. Africanized Honey Bees Struggle In Cooler Climates
This is naturally due to their warm - weather loving genetics , however , it ’s a small silver lining for those of us located in the northerly North America . Their expansion into our geographical region has been slower than their expansion through the ease of Africa , South America and the southern United States .
4. Africanized Honey Bees Have Shown Resistance To Colony Collapse Disorder
There ’s evidence that suggests AHBs are also more insubordinate to honeybee ailments , such as the foulbroods , nosema and even varroa touch , though this is mostly anecdotal and require more research . However , it ’s possible that AHBs could hold back a key to fighting CCD in our domesticated Apis mellifera population . Researchers in Tucson , Arizona , have cause to believe that Africanized honey bee could even be domesticated while retaining the power to resist crash .
5. You Don’t Need To Panic—But Stay Alert
Remain hands on with your colony as long as you ’re a apiarist . As my beekeeping mentor says , “ Be a beekeeper , not a beehaver . ” supervise your hive is your proficient defence agains AHBs commingling with your hive , especially if you live in a state with confirmed AHB populations , such as Texas . Replace queen , mark them , and keep in force records . air into your dependency ’ personalities , watch them for changes , and be mindful when collect wild swarms in those res publica .
There ’s certainly reason to exert caution around bees suspected to be Africanized , and it ’s surely prudent to educate yourself about the Africanized honey bee in general . However , as a beekeeper and honeybee advocate , the best matter you may do to help the cause is to not further any consternation that AHBs crusade . Educate others with the facts , and , killer though it may be , perhaps even refrain from using its wacky nickname .
