**Killer Bees** (*Apis mellifera scutellata*) is the common name given to the **Africanized Honey Bee** (AHB), a hybrid of the African honey bee and various European honey bee subspecies. AHB are notorious for their highly **defensive behavior**—they respond to disturbance much faster, in much greater numbers, and pursue the perceived threat over much longer distances than European bees. While their venom is no stronger than that of other honey bees, the sheer number of stings delivered can be fatal to humans and animals. They are managed as a serious public safety hazard in endemic areas.
Taxonomy and Classification
Killer Bees belong to the order Hymenoptera, family Apidae. They are highly social insects that form complex perennial colonies. They were accidentally introduced to the Americas in 1957 and have spread aggressively, displacing or interbreeding with native European honey bees. They are nearly indistinguishable physically from European honey bees; identification requires laboratory analysis of morphology or DNA.
Physical Description
AHB are slightly smaller than European honey bees, about 1/2 inch long.
- **Appearance:** Virtually indistinguishable from common honey bees.
- **Defense (Key ID):** The defining characteristic is their **extreme defensive reaction**. When a nest is disturbed, hundreds or thousands of bees may attack within seconds, stinging repeatedly. They remain agitated for hours and pursue threats for up to 1/4 mile.
- **Nesting:** They build smaller colonies and tend to nest in more diverse, exposed locations than European bees, including water meter boxes, old tires, fence posts, and small wall voids.
- **Swarming:** They swarm (split off new colonies) more frequently than European bees, accelerating their rate of spread.
Distribution and Habitat
AHB are widespread across South America, Central America, Mexico, and the southern and southwestern U.S. (including California, Texas, Arizona, and Florida). Their habitat is warm, temperate, and tropical areas. They are limited by extremely cold winters, which prevents their northward spread into most of the U.S. and Canada.
Behavior and Conflict
The conflict is a severe public safety and veterinary risk.
- **Aggression:** They have a far smaller “defense perimeter” around the hive, meaning they will attack with less provocation than European bees.
- **Mass Stinging:** The greatest danger is the rapid delivery of hundreds or thousands of stings, leading to massive envenomation that overwhelms the victim’s organs, often causing death in non-allergic people.
- **Beekeeping Challenge:** They often colonize and take over hives managed by beekeepers, reducing the docility of the stock.
- **Beneficial Role:** Like all honey bees, they are vital pollinators, contributing significantly to crop production in the regions they inhabit.
Management and Prevention
Control focuses on public safety, education, and professional removal.
- **Awareness (Key):** Educate the public on identifying and avoiding AHB nesting sites.
- **Avoidance:** Never attempt to disturb, spray, or smoke out a bee colony.
- **Response to Attack:** If attacked, **run away quickly** and continuously (do not swat) and seek shelter immediately indoors or in a car. Cover the face and sensitive areas.
- **Professional Removal:** If a nest is found, contact a professional pest control operator or a specialized beekeeper for safe, complete removal or destruction.
- **Property Management:** Seal all openings and voids in homes and sheds (e.g., weep holes, utility gaps) to prevent nesting.
Conservation and Research
Killer Bees are managed as a public health hazard and a challenge to commercial beekeeping. Research focuses on developing safer methods for beekeeping in endemic areas, identifying the limits of their cold-tolerance, and using genetics to mitigate their aggressive traits in commercial populations.