Africanized Honey Bee
Honey bees were brought to the United States by European settlers in the 1600’s. Because of their prolific pollinating potential, they quickly became an important economic insect. The down side to the honey bee was its fragile nature. They don’t do well in rapid climate change situations. Scientists tried to remedy that situation by hybrid breeding of the European honey bee with the African honey bee.
In 1956, researchers in Brazil imported the African honey bee. The genes of the African bee would be mixed with the European bee, in an attempt to create a stronger, yet mild tempered pollinating bee.
The African bee was mated with the European bee. The scientists thought that when mated, the African bee would lose its defensive nature to the docile nature of the European bee. Unfortunately, that was not the case and in 1957, twenty-six African queen bees escaped in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Hybrid bees quickly established themselves and moved north and where first found in Hidalgo, Texas in 1990.
Utah has been diligent in the control of Africanized “Killer” honey bees. The state has installed and monitors 100 baited hive traps and the traps are checked every 2-4 weeks.
If you think you have either European honey bees or Africanized bees please call our office immediately. We have a bee keeper on staff and can quickly and humanely remove the bees.
Honey bees are an important and beneficial insect. We, at Southwest Exterminators, take great care in protecting our states bee population.
