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HoneyBees
BEEKEEPING 101
AFRICANIZED HONEY BEE
RESEARCH
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HONEYBEES

The Africanized honey bee has descended from tropical African bees (Apis mellifera scutellata) that were introduced to South America in 1956. These African bees mated with the European honey bee to create the hybridized or 'Africanized' honey bee. These bees have migrated since their introduction, reaching the lower United States in 1990.

USDA map of Africanized Honeybee distribution by US county


Map from the USDA ARS Carl Hayden Research Center.

 

For additional information on the Africanized Honey Bee, you can visit the following links.

   - National Invasive Species Information Center (USDA)
   - Texas A & M University Department of Entomology

Africanized Honey 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
  • 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

  • from the DesertUSA website
     
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    Last Updated: February 1, 2024
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