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Apis
mellifera scutellata
Characteristics –
Size: About 1/2-inch in length.
Color: Golden-yellow with darker bands of brown. Some
specimens appear a darker brown than others.
Behavior – Africanized honeybees (AHB) are
actually a subspecies of the European honeybee, and the two look
exactly the same. Only an expert making numerous microscopic
measurements can tell the two apart. The difference, however,
becomes readily apparent in the aggressiveness of the AHB when its
colony is disturbed, lending to its nickname "killer
bees." The AHB releases an alarm pheromone that calls all the
workers to "battle" where they will attack and sting any
moving animal or object. They will chase and sting people for
hundreds of yards and have been known to sting people and pets over
a whole neighborhood block. Deaths may occur due to allergic
reactions from the larger number of stings received. It may take
hours for the bees to settle down and return to the colony. Other
honeybees will attack and sting for a few minutes and then settle
down rather quickly. Since one cannot tell the difference between
AHB and other honeybees simply by looking, all honeybees in areas
where the AHB are act
Habitat – In the United States, the AHB has
become established from Texas over to southern California. Colonies
have also been discovered in Florida and a few other southeastern
states but these have been quickly eradicated. In the wild,
honeybees most often nest inside cavities of trees, but they will
also nest within caves and cracks in rock formations. Occasionally,
a colony will decide to nest inside a crawl space, an attic, a wall
void, or a chimney in a home.
Tips for Control – Because the Africanized
honeybee cannot be distinguished from its native cousins without
detailed scientific measurements, any honeybee nest or swarm found
in southwestern states should be respected at a safe distance. Only
experienced beekeepers and/or pest management professionals should
be contacted to deal with colonies or swarms of honeybees. Never
attempt to treat such nests without the proper training and
equipment.
Once the colony inside a wall or attic has been eliminated, the
building owner will need to open the wall and remove all the honey
and honeycomb. If not removed, the honey will rot, produce strong
odors and seeping stains, and will attract other insect pests.
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