KILLER BEES The Africanized Honeybee
KILLER BEES • Africanized Honey Bees -- also called Africanized bees or killer bees -- are descendants of southern African bees imported in 1956 by Brazilian scientists attempting to breed a honey bee better adapted to the South American tropics.
KILLER BEES • When some of these bees escaped quarantine in 1957, they began breeding with local Brazilian honey bees, quickly multiplying and extended their range throughout South and Central America at a rate greater than 200 miles per year.
KILLER BEES • Africanized bees acquired the name killer bees because they will viciously attack people and animals who unwittingly stray into their territory, often resulting in serious injury or death.
KILLER BEES • Though their venom is no more potent than native honey bees, Africanized bees attack in far greater numbers and pursue perceived enemies for greater distances. Once disturbed, colonies may remain agitated for 24 hours, attacking people and animals within a range of a quarter mile from the hive.
KILLER BEES • Africanized bees proliferate because they are not as picky in their choice of nests than native bees, using a variety of natural and man-made objects , including hollow trees, walls, porches, sheds, attics, utility boxes, garbage containers and abandoned vehicles. They also tend to swarm more often than other honey bees.
KILLER BEES • The first swarm of Africanized bees was detected in the U.S. in October, 1990 when they were captured in a baited trap at the border town of Hidalgo, Texas. Their colonies were first reported in Arizona and New Mexico in 1993 and in California in October, 1994. Within a year, more than 8,000 square miles of Imperial, Riverside and northeastern San Diego counties were declared officially colonized by Africanized Bees.
KILLER BEES • In May of 1991, Jesus Diaz became the first person to be attacked by AHB in the U.S. while mowing a lawn in the border city of Brownsville, Texas. Diaz suffered 18 stings and was treated at a local hospital.
KILLER BEES • On July 15, 1993, 82-year-old Lino Lopez became the first person to die in the U.S. from Africanized honey bee stings. He was stung more than 40 times while trying to remove a colony from a wall in an abandoned building on his ranch near Harlingen, Texas.
KILLER BEES • Arizona's first human fatality from Africanized Bees occurred in October, 1993 when 88-year-old Apache Junction woman disturbed a large Africanized honey bee colony in an abandoned building on her property and was stung numerous times.
KILLER BEES • Although such fatalities are alarming, Africanized Bees probably present the greatest danger in the U.S. to American beekeeping and American agriculture in general. AHBs often enter European colonies to mingle and mate with them. Such mating results in more hybrid bees having African genes and tendencies dominating over European ones. An entire colony may suddenly take on aggressive and short-tempered behavior
KILLER BEE FACTS • Are slightly smaller than the European honey bee, but only an expert can tell them apart • Defend their hive more rapidly than the European honey bee • Usually sting in greater numbers • Are less selective about where they nest
KILLER BEES • Swarm more often than European honey bees • Do not have stronger venom than the European honey bee • Each bee can only sting one time – females die after stinging • Eat nectar and pollen and make honey • Are not native to the U.S.; they came from Africa
VIDEO INTERNET LINKS • http://www.bing.com/videos/watch/video/killer-bees-dont-provoke-an-attack-ultimate-killers-bbc/d81b6bcc994de9686d92d81b6bcc994de9686d92-297346007873?q=KILLER%20BEES&FORM=VIRE1&adlt=strict