Certain areas of Alabama have reported the existence of an invasive bee species that poses a threat to humans and animals.
According to a release published by the Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries (ADAI) on Tuesday, feral swarms of Africanized honeybees, commonly referred to as “killer bees,” were recently found in Jackson and St. Clair counties. The state officials have emphasized the importance of safeguarding Alabama’s honeybees, which led local beekeepers to take action and euthanize the killer bees upon detection.
According to a recent release by the department, ADAI is promptly taking measures to eliminate any potential hazards posed by the invasive bees. The statement reads, “Our team is setting up traps in the five-mile vicinity of the detection sites to capture and identify any additional presence of Africanized honeybees.”
According to the ADAI, although killer bees look similar to European honeybees, their behavior sets them apart. These invasive bees are much more defensive and will aggressively respond to threats with a larger group of bees. Moreover, they are known to chase threats for over a mile, much farther than honeybees that only pursue for a few hundred yards.
The ADAI notes that killer bees are known to build their nests in various locations, whether it be in an available crevice or out in the open. They can be found in water meter boxes, metal utility poles, concrete blocks, junk piles, or even holes in the ground and along house eaves. On the other hand, local honeybees prefer larger cavities and are always located aboveground. Honeybees often make their homes in beekeeper’s hives, hollow trees, and cavities in walls and tree limbs.
According to the department, it is crucial for the public to remain observant and report any aggressive behavior from bees to ADAI. They also emphasized that Africanized Honeybees are highly defensive and can pose a significant threat to both humans and animals. Therefore, it is advisable to refrain from provoking any swarms and seek professional assistance for bee removal.
On Thursday, the ADAI was contacted via email by Newsweek for further details.
The Smithsonian Institution reports that Africanized bees were initially introduced to Brazil in 1956 for the purpose of crossbreeding them with native honeybees. Unfortunately, in 1957, more than 25 swarms were mistakenly set free, leading to the creation of hybrid populations with the European honeybee. These bees slowly migrated northward and eventually made their way to southern Texas in 1990.
According to the College of Agriculture, Forestry, and Life Sciences at Clemson University, populations of killer bees are commonly found in Arizona, California, Nevada, New Mexico, and Texas. Although a few isolated colonies have been discovered in other states since their initial arrival in the United States, those swarms have been eradicated, thereby thwarting the natural propagation of Africanized bees.
