not necessary to initiate an attack. Merely noise or vibration from equipment can
induce a quick, vicious response that persists for a farther distance than European
bees. Their venom is no more potent than European honey bees, but they attack in
much greater numbers, in the hundreds, where European honey bees may attack the
same intruder with no more than 10–20 bees [32].
Swarming
Africanized honey bees swarm frequently and unpredictably, which can be as often
as every 6 weeks with more than one separate swarm each time. A European bee hive
will typically swarm once a year. Africanized bee swarms are also smaller than
European bee swarms [27].
Abscond
During times of food resource shortage or repeated nest disturbance, Africanized
bees have a high tendency of abandoning the entire nest including the brood, food
stores, and hive. This is known as “absconding.” The entire colony composed of
adult bees relocates elsewhere. Absconding is something European honey bees
rarely do, which also makes their management that much easier.
Nesting Locations
European honey bees prefer nesting in larger spaces such as tree hollows, chimneys,
and so forth. Africanized honey bees are less selective about their nesting locations,
and their choices rarely overlap with European honey bee hive location preferences.
In general, Africanized honey bees will occupy much smaller spaces, because their
swarm sizes are smaller: hollow tree limbs, man-made structures like cement blocks,
junk piles, meter boxes. Even holes in the ground can become their home nests. This
is one reason why humans encounter Africanized bees more frequently.
Survival Strategy
European honey bees devote their efforts to producing and storing honey in order to
survive through the winter (overwintering); Africanized honey bees, on the other
hand, endeavor to generate many swarms and produce larger number of descendants.
The European bees’ strategy makes them suited for temperate environments, while
the Africanized bees’ strategy allows them to quickly replace lost colonies either due
to harsh environmental conditions or predators. In response to such stressors,
Africanized honey bees are more likely to abscond, while European honey bees
seldom do. This explains why Africanized bee colonies store proportionately less
food than that of European honey bees [26].
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C. Li
induce a quick, vicious response that persists for a farther distance than European
bees. Their venom is no more potent than European honey bees, but they attack in
much greater numbers, in the hundreds, where European honey bees may attack the
same intruder with no more than 10–20 bees [32].
Swarming
Africanized honey bees swarm frequently and unpredictably, which can be as often
as every 6 weeks with more than one separate swarm each time. A European bee hive
will typically swarm once a year. Africanized bee swarms are also smaller than
European bee swarms [27].
Abscond
During times of food resource shortage or repeated nest disturbance, Africanized
bees have a high tendency of abandoning the entire nest including the brood, food
stores, and hive. This is known as “absconding.” The entire colony composed of
adult bees relocates elsewhere. Absconding is something European honey bees
rarely do, which also makes their management that much easier.
Nesting Locations
European honey bees prefer nesting in larger spaces such as tree hollows, chimneys,
and so forth. Africanized honey bees are less selective about their nesting locations,
and their choices rarely overlap with European honey bee hive location preferences.
In general, Africanized honey bees will occupy much smaller spaces, because their
swarm sizes are smaller: hollow tree limbs, man-made structures like cement blocks,
junk piles, meter boxes. Even holes in the ground can become their home nests. This
is one reason why humans encounter Africanized bees more frequently.
Survival Strategy
European honey bees devote their efforts to producing and storing honey in order to
survive through the winter (overwintering); Africanized honey bees, on the other
hand, endeavor to generate many swarms and produce larger number of descendants.
The European bees’ strategy makes them suited for temperate environments, while
the Africanized bees’ strategy allows them to quickly replace lost colonies either due
to harsh environmental conditions or predators. In response to such stressors,
Africanized honey bees are more likely to abscond, while European honey bees
seldom do. This explains why Africanized bee colonies store proportionately less
food than that of European honey bees [26].
14
C. Li