By 1985 these bees had made their way to the United States. In October of 1957, 26 colonies of the Africanized bees escaped from their research facility. Killer bees became an invasive species through accidental release into the wild. The hybrid was intended to produce larger quantities of honey, and thrive in tropical conditions. They were created by a Brazilian biologist for the purpose of increasing honey production. The Africanized honeybee is a cross between the African honeybee and the European honeybee. Honey is also used as a food source for the hive over the winter, when it is too cold for bees to forage, and flowers are no longer in bloom. The honey produced by honeybees is used to feed bee larvae. Honey is composed of partially digested nectar, and is used as a storable carbohydrate source. Diet of the Killer BeeĪfricanized honeybees, like all honeybees, feed on nectar and pollen. Invasive Africanized bee populations have been established in California, New Mexico, Arizona, Texas, Nevada, Florida, and Louisiana. Colonies have been found in Argentina, Central America, Mexico, and the southern United States. Killer bees were bred in Brazil, though when experimental colonies escaped, they quickly spread north. Because they are “built” for warm temperatures, they do not survive well in areas that become very cold during the winter. From the spread of unintentionally released individuals, we have learned that the Africanized bees do best in tropical areas. The “docile” bees do not have as pronounced aggression, and defend their hives with less vigor.Īs a hybrid species, killer bees don’t have a specific habitat or range. The “Re-domestication” of the Killer Bee – Not all Africanized honeybees are maniacal killers! In fact, selective breeding in Brazil has begun creating more docile colonies.An underground nest is much more inconspicuous, and quite literally easier to stumble upon.

This species will create nests below the ground much more frequently than their European cousins. Friends in Low Places – Africanized honeybees do not always nest in typical beehives.Killer bees produces honey at a rate five times slower than European honeybees do. Counterproductivity – Despite the fact that killer bees were created in an attempt to produce more honey, Africanized honeybees actually produces less honey than European honeybees.The killer bee is actually slightly smaller than its European cousin, but it’s still incredibly difficult to tell the difference between the two. The Not-So-Monster Bee – Despite the image conjured with a name like “killer bee,” the Africanized honeybee isn’t any larger or scarier than the typical European bee.These bees still possess useful traits and interesting characteristics, despite their confrontational nature. Other bees also defend their nests, but Africanized bees defend a larger radius with more vigor. Despite the name, killer bees do not differ significantly from other bee species.

Africanized killer bees