FAQ's About Africanized Honey Bees

 

Q - Are Africanized Honey Bees in Georgia?

A - As of May 2010, No. The Georgia Department of Agriculture and the Florida Department of Agriculture has swarm traps along the Georgia/Florida border that are regularly checked for AHB's.

 

Q – Are Africanized Honey Bees and the Killer Bee the same thing?

A – The short answer is yes. People who are familiar with honey bees call them Africanized Honey Bees because that’s what they are, a hybrid of the African Honey Bee (Apis Mellifera Scutellata). They became dubbed "killer bees" by Hollywood movies and poor news coverage. Since 1990 when the Africanized Honey Bee entered the United States there have only been about 1 human death per year due to the defensive nature of these bees. Not what I would consider “killer” by a long shot.

 

Q - When do we expect the AHB to arrive in Georgia?

A - Most predictions suggest that the Africanized Honey Bee could arrive in the next few years. However, so far their progress is slower than expected. It will be best to keep up to date by checking back to site like this one to learn of their current progress.

 

Q - How far North will the AHB's go?

A - We are dealing with a new species entering a new environment. While we are not 100% sure how far north the AHB will migrate, we are confidant that they will at least reach the Atlanta area.

 

Q - How can I tell AHB's from the regular honey bees?

A - Only DNA testing can determine what type of bee they are. Not even experience beekeepers can tell by just looking.

 

Q- Is the venom from an Africanized honey bee more poisonous than that of a regular honey bee?

A- No, the venom from both the European and Africanized honey bees is chemically the same. And, because the Africanized honey bee is slightly smaller than the regular honey bee, it actually has slightly less venom.

 

Q - What's the difference between a honey bee colony and a swarm?

A - A colony is a established hive of bees that are raising brood, foraging, and will defending their home. A swarm is approximately 1/2 the population of a colony (15,000-20,000 bees) that are looking for a new place to live.

    

Q - I have a swarm of bees hanging in/on my (yard, tree, porch, lamppost, etc.). I'm afraid they are going to attack my family and pets, what should I do?

A- Swarms of bees is a phenomena that is most likely seen in the spring and fall each year. Swarms develop when a hive gets too full or crowded. The bees in the old hive make a new queen and she flies off with about half of the bees of the colony to find a new place to live. The swarm lands on something that will enable them to stay huddled together while a few scout bees fly on to try to locate a suitable place to build a new hive. Since a swarm does not have a hive to protect they are generally docile and rarely sting. You should treat them like any other wild animal...leave them alone! Do NOT spray them with water or poison. Do NOT throw anything at them. Go to our Products & Services page and see if you can find a beekeeper in your area that may come and get them. If you can't find a beekeeper then do nothing. A swarm is looking for a new home, and will generally leave in less than 24 hours.