Science Fact Finder | The Animal World - What Are "Killer Bees"?

What are "killer bees"?

The proper name for the "killer bee" is the Africanized honeybee. Africanized honeybees are a hybrid that originated in Brazil following the importation of African honeybees in 1956. Beekeepers brought the African honeybees to South America, thinking that those bees would be well suited to honey production in the tropics. Instead, the African bees mated with the resident European honeybees, creating the hybrid (the offspring of genetically different varieties or species) Africanized honeybee.

Although they produce more honey than European honeybees, Africanized honeybees are problematic because they attack in great numbers. Since their introduction, Africanized honeybees have been responsible for approximately 1,000 human deaths.

Concern is now growing regarding the migration of Africanized honeybees into the United States. In October 1990, the bees crossed the Mexican border into the United...

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