Overview
- Confirmed detections in Jackson and St. Clair counties prompted euthanization of wild swarms and deployment of traps within a five-mile radius to track further spread.
- Bee removal specialists report that Arizona’s hive populations have swelled to some 300,000 bees per colony following this season’s monsoon blooms.
- Africanized honey bees defend their nests with extreme aggression, chasing perceived threats for up to a mile and causing hospitalizations and fatalities in multiple states.
- Visual similarity to European honey bees means that only expert genetic or morphological analysis can reliably distinguish Africanized colonies.
- Researchers note that the bees’ heightened disease resistance and genetic diversity could benefit broader honey bee health if managed carefully.