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.