What is the difference between the Africanized honeybee and the common European or Italian Honeybee?
All three physically look alike to the trained eye. Only an entomologist with a microscope and a scalpel can tell the difference between the species-it’s their behavior patterns that give us an insight as to which species we are dealing with. Africanized Bees are more aggressive and produce great quantities of honey. Hence, their reason for being developed. Remember, the Africanized Bee is not found naturally in nature, but is a hybrid bee created in a laboratory. Sound, motion and even the carbon monoxide from your breath easily agitate Africanized Bees and they prefer to nest in the ground. Once a hive is agitated, they will attack in great numbers. Each time an Africanized Bee stings, it releases a pheromone that tells the rest of the colony where to attack. The Africanized Honeybee is now in Mohave Country-a dog was killed in Lake Havasu last week-and has become a part of our everyday lives. So the important question is: What should you do if you see a bee hive or swarm? Call a pro
