The honeybees with which Americans are most familiar are European honeybees that began arriving in the New World with the Spanish explorers. In the centuries since, honeybees from the Old World comprised virtually all of the bees kept for pollination and honey production.
In the 1950s, a research scientist in Brazil imported some bees from Africa to breed with European honeybees. African bees displayed greater resistance to disease and produced more honey than their European cousins. The researcher's goal was to create a cross-bred bee that would be productive under tropical conditions. However, 26 swarms, including queens, were accidentally released into the wild. The bees began breeding with native honeybees, and their descendants quickly expanded …show more content…
The key differences involve behavior.
• When there is a disturbance within 20 feet of the hive, honeybees may dispatch up to 20 guard bees. Africanized honeybees may respond to a disturbance as far away as 120 feet by dispatching hundreds of guard bees.
• After being disturbed, honeybees typically calm down in 20 to 60 minutes. Africanized bees may remain agitated and defensive for as long as 24 hours.
• Honeybees only swarm once or twice per year, but Africanized bees often swarm at least 10 times annually. Africanized bees have small swarms, sometimes no bigger than a softball; honeybees have much larger swarms.
• When selecting a nesting site, honeybees look for cavities that have a volume of approximately 10 gallons. They nest in protected, dry, clean locations that are above ground. Africanized bees tend to nest in smaller cavities, sometimes places that have volumes of as little as one or two gallons. They will nest in exposed areas as well as underground receptacles, including the in-ground boxes housing water
In the 1950s, a research scientist in Brazil imported some bees from Africa to breed with European honeybees. African bees displayed greater resistance to disease and produced more honey than their European cousins. The researcher's goal was to create a cross-bred bee that would be productive under tropical conditions. However, 26 swarms, including queens, were accidentally released into the wild. The bees began breeding with native honeybees, and their descendants quickly expanded …show more content…
The key differences involve behavior.
• When there is a disturbance within 20 feet of the hive, honeybees may dispatch up to 20 guard bees. Africanized honeybees may respond to a disturbance as far away as 120 feet by dispatching hundreds of guard bees.
• After being disturbed, honeybees typically calm down in 20 to 60 minutes. Africanized bees may remain agitated and defensive for as long as 24 hours.
• Honeybees only swarm once or twice per year, but Africanized bees often swarm at least 10 times annually. Africanized bees have small swarms, sometimes no bigger than a softball; honeybees have much larger swarms.
• When selecting a nesting site, honeybees look for cavities that have a volume of approximately 10 gallons. They nest in protected, dry, clean locations that are above ground. Africanized bees tend to nest in smaller cavities, sometimes places that have volumes of as little as one or two gallons. They will nest in exposed areas as well as underground receptacles, including the in-ground boxes housing water