Pest Management Professional, July 2015
Photo Scott Bauer uSDa agricultural reSearch Service BugwooD org DiD You Know AfricAnized honey bees By Kate Jeff McGovern Contributors Africanized honey bees Apis mellifera scutella You can reach the McGoverns at jeffreymcgovern@ mindspring com A frican honey bees were first brought to Brazil in the 1950s to increase honey production In 1957 26 swarms escaped and headed north mating with established colonies of European bees A m ligustica and A m iberiensis The resulting hybrid is A m scutellata Lepeletier often referred to as killer bees They are more commonly known as Africanized honey bees AHB and were first found in the United States in California in 1985 The only way to tell AHB from other bees is through a DNA test The honey taste reflects the An Africanized honey bee left and a European honey bee on honeycomb Despite color they normally cant be identified by eye environment of the bees European bees prefer floral nectars whereas AHB have no particular preference They are frequently found around outdoor bathroom facilities Dumpsters and old tires It is their defensive behavior that has earned AHB their pest status They have more guards and deploy greater numbers over a larger distance than the common honey bee AHB deploy hundreds of stingers at the slightest sign of disruption putting people especially children and the elderly at risk AHB have largely remained in p the southern and coastal regions of the United States Some have moved north but they abscond if foraging becomes too challenging PMP 62 July 2015 Pest Management Professional mypmp net
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