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Africanized Bees

Africanized Honey Bees

Learn how to identify these insects and protect yourself and your family.

Introduction

Africanized honey bees (AHB) occur in California. AHBs breed and compete with the European-derived strains of honey bees (EHB) that are managed by beekeepers. Because AHBs are established in Florida, it is important to become familiar with AHBs and their behavior.

Although they are often referred to as killer bees, the correct term is Africanized honey bees. Another common mistake is describing them as aggressive. Their behavior is actually defensive – they react to human invasion of their environment and defend themselves/their nest when necessary. Attacks occur when people get too close to a nesting colony of AHBs.

Most people probably first hear about AHBs via B-grade movies such as “Killer Bees” (1974) and “The Swarm” (1978). Labeling AHBs as aggressive killers can provoke unjustified fear and hysteria. Fortunately, you do not have to learn about AHBs from bad horror movies or rumors on the Internet. These tips from the Florida IPM Office can help you educate and protect yourself and your family.

Africanized honey bees are more defensive
they defend their nests with less provocation, in greater numbers and for longer distances. Africanized honey bees swarm as many as 16 times per year, whereas European honey bees swarm only once or twice a year. Swarming is the reproductive behavior that occurs when bees are looking for a new nest site. Africanized honey bees are not selective of nesting sites
they will quickly inhabit empty spaces, holes or cavities. European honey bees are more selective and prefer drier sites 3 or 4 feet above ground. The hybrid Africanized honey bees became established and expanded their range through South and Central America. The first report of Africanized honey bees in the United States was made in Hidalgo, Texas, in 1990. Since then, they have been found throughout the southern U.S.

Avoiding AHBs & Protecting Yourself

Common AHB Nesting Sites

Be aware of the places where AHBs are likely to nest. Potential sites include:

Abandoned Vehicles
Empty Containers
Places with Holes
Fences
Lumber Piles
Manholes
water meters
Utility Infrastructures

Old Tires
Trees
Garages
Outbuildings
Sheds
Walls
Chimneys
Crawl Spaces Under Houses Or Buildings

Bee-Proof Your Property

The best defense is a good offense. Removing or blocking potential nesting sites around your yard and house reduces your risk of encountering AHBs at home.

In order to ‘bee-proof’ a building, remove all potential nesting sites.
From March to July (swarming season), inspect your property weekly for unusual bee activity.
Seal all gaps larger than 1/8-inch in walls and around chimneys and plumbing.
Install screens made of 1/8-inch hardware cloth over other openings, such as rain spouts, vents, cavities of trees and fence posts, water meters, utility boxes, etc.

If you do find bees nesting on your property, contact your county Extension agent, or a certified pest control operator or live bee removalist. A large percentage of feral honey bee colonies in southern Florida are AHBs. The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) currently recommends that all feral honey bee colonies be exterminated by certified pest control operators, or removed alive by a registered beekeeper who will requeen the colony with a EHB queen, allowing the colony to be placed back into agricultural production.

(Note: Exclusion of entry points is a principle of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) and will also keep out other unwanted pests.)

Encountering Defensive Bees

Do not stay in one place and swat the bees as this will cause the bees to sting. Remember, AHBs are trying to defend their nest. When a stinging event occurs, you are too close to the nest, and you need to leave the area immediately. Cover your nose and mouth with your shirt as you run. This restricts bees’ access to your airways.

When seeking shelter, do not hide in thick underbrush or water as it may take the bees thirty minutes or longer to leave an area. Look for enclosed locations, such as a building or vehicle. Some bees will probably enter the shelter with you, but most will remain outside.

If you see bees attacking someone, do not go to the victim and try to help. It is better to stand at a safe distance and yell to the person to leave the area as quickly as possible. If a defensive colony is encountered, contact emergency personnel or beekeepers who are trained to deal with AHBs.

What to Do if You are Stung

Stingers should be scraped out with a blunt object, such as a fingernail or credit card. Doing this as soon as possible will stop the release of venom. Wash the sting site with soap and water and apply ice to stop the swelling. Some swelling is normal and does not necessarily mean the victim is having an allergic reaction.

Some signs of an allergic reaction include:

Hives
Difficulty breathing
Dizziness

If an allergic reaction occurs, or if you are concerned about your body’s response to a sting, immediately contact emergency personnel. Use an emergency sting kit if one is available.

Don’t Worry, ‘Bee’ Happy

Africanized honey bees can be frightening. You should respect them, but remember that their “killer bee” image comes from rumors and sci-fi movies, not from facts. Although AHB populations are generally more defensive than are EHB ones, EHBs also display defensive behavior, though at a much reduced level. The EHBs that beekeepers manage have been bred for docility.

In South America, where AHB populations are prevalent, pollination and honey production experienced a slight dip during the transition period between EHB/AHB hybridization. However, countries in South and Central America are now exporting honey again, and AHBs are being selectively bred to produce more docile bees.

Distribution

In 1956, some colonies of African Honey Bees were imported into Brazil, with the idea of cross-breeding them with local populations of Honey Bees to increase honey production. In 1957, twenty-six African queens, along with swarms of European worker bees, escaped from an experimental apiary about l00 miles south of Sao Paulo. These African bee escapees have since formed hybrid populations with European Honey Bees, both feral and from commercial hives. They have gradually spread northward through South America, Central America, and eastern Mexico, progressing some 100 to 200 miles per year. In 1990, Killer Bees reached southern Texas, appeared in Arizona in 1993, and found their way to California in 1995. They are expected to form colonies in parts of the southern United States.

Damage done

Africanized Honey Bees (=Killer Bees) are dangerous because they attack intruders in numbers much greater than European Honey Bees. Since their introduction into Brazil, they have killed some 1,000 humans, with victims receiving ten times as many stings than from the European strain. They react to disturbances ten times faster than European Honey Bees, and will chase a person a quarter of a mile. Other concerns with Africanized Honey Bees are the effects on the honey industry (with an annual value of $140 million dollars) and general pollination of orchards and field crops (with an annual value of 10 billion dollars). Interbred colonies of European and Africanized honey bees may differ in pollination efforts, be more aggressive, excessively abandon the nest, and not survive the winters. Further, beekeepers may not continue their business of honey production if faced with aggressive bees. The packaged bee and queen rearing industries are in the southern United States, which would affect the honey industry across the continent.

Control

Many authorities have been working on the problem of Killer Bees in the United States. Two primary solutions have been considered. The first is termed drone-flooding, which involves maintaining large numbers of common Honey Bees (originally from Europe) in areas where commercially-reared queen bees mate. This process would limit the mating possibilities between Africanized drones and European queens. The second strategy is requeening frequently, where the beekeeper replaces the queen of the colony, thus assuring that the queens are European Honey Bees and that mating has also occurred with European drones.

Africanized Honey Bee FAQ

Why is the African bee called the "killer" bee?

Although all honey bees will sting when their nest is threatened by invaders, African bees defend their nests with less provocation, in greater numbers and for longer distances than their cousins, the docile European honey bees that we have in the U.S.

How is the African bee different from our domestic European bee?

The African bee is slightly smaller than our domestic bee, but it takes a laboratory test to measure the difference. A single African bee sting is no more venomous than a single European bee sting. The most important difference is in the bees’ behavior. African bees produce more offspring, defend their nests much more fiercely and in greater numbers, and are more likely to abandon the nest (abscond) when threatened by predators or adverse environmental conditions.

How did African bees come to North America?

Researchers brought the African bees to Brazil in the 1950s in an attempt to improve the productivity of Brazilian bees. A large wild population quickly developed and spread through South America, Central America and Mexico. In the 1990s, the Africanized honey bee was identified in Texas and has since spread though the southwestern U.S.

What happens now that African bees are in California?

The Africanized honey bee population has grown and will continue to grow in California due to its numerous pathways into the state and the lack of effective eradication products or techniques. The California Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS), in cooperation with other agricultural stakeholders, is developing the tools to protect the beekeeping industry and educate the public on how to learn to live with this potentially dangerous insect. At some point, the defensive behavior of these bees will become more common.

Will African bees try to hurt people?

No bees try to hurt people. They are simply defending their territory. If people disturb the hive or if a hive is accidentally disturbed, the bees are likely to react adversely. Generally, the chances of being struck by lightning are far greater than injury from any stinging insect.

How should people avoid African bees?

Avoid all bees, just as you would any stinging insect, scorpion, spider or poisonous snake. In the case of bees, awareness is important. Never climb or kick a felled tree or stump. Do not roll a large rock or log until checking if foraging bees are entering and leaving the area. When hiking in the country, keep an escape route in mind at all times. Remember the words “Look, Listen, Run.”

How do you get away from stinging bees?

Run. Bees tend to sting the face and head, so try to cover your nose and mouth with your hands while running. Never stand still or get yourself boxed into a place outdoors where you cannot escape the attacking bees. Seek shelter. Run for an enclosed building or vehicle. Bees that do get inside usually become disoriented and go to the light at the windows.

Do managed bee hives (kept by beekeepers) help stop African bees?

Yes, managed hives are the first and best defense against an area becoming Africanized. Managed bees dilute African honey bee populations and prevent African honey bee takeover of European honey bee hives. African honey bees are less attracted to areas where other foragers exist.

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