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Killer bees are an Africanized hybrid of honey bees. This species is known to the world for its high aggressiveness and ability to inflict severe bites on both animals and people, which are sometimes fatal. This type of Africanized bees is ready to attack anyone who dares to approach their hives.
Killer bees first appeared in Brazil after crossing European and American individuals. Initially, it was planned to breed a honey hybrid that would collect several times more honey than ordinary bees. Unfortunately, things went a completely different way.
What types of killer bees are there?
In nature, there are a large number of insects that can be not only friendly, but also overly aggressive. There are species that attract people, others can repel, and there are also those that pose a danger to all living things.
In addition to Africanized killer bees, there are several more individuals that are no less dangerous.
Hornet or tiger bee. This species lives in India, China and Asia. The individuals are very large, the body length reaches 5 cm, has an impressive jaw and a 6 mm sting. As a rule, hornets attack for no particular reason.With the help of a sting, they easily pierce the skin. No one has ever managed to escape from them on their own. During an attack, each individual can release poison several times, thereby causing severe pain. Every year, 30-70 people die from hornet stings.
The gadfly is an insect that has common features with bees. They attack people and animals. The danger is that gadflies lay larvae on the skin, which, sensing warmth, begin to penetrate under the skin. The only way to get rid of the larvae is through surgery.
African bees
Africanized bees are the only representative of their genus in which the queen plays a major role. If the queen dies, the swarm must immediately produce a new queen, otherwise the family of Africanized bees will begin to disintegrate. As a result of the fact that the incubation period for larvae takes much less time, this allows insects to reproduce very quickly, occupying more and more new territories.
History of the species
Today, the Africanized killer bee is one of the top 10 most dangerous insects in the world. The Africanized bee was first introduced to the world in 1956, when Warwick geneticist Esteban Kerr crossed a European honey bee with a wild African honeybee. Initially, the goal was to breed a new species of hardy bees, but as a result, the world saw an Africanized killer bee.
Scientists have noticed that wild bees have a high level of productivity and speed, as a result of which they produce much more nectar than domestic bee colonies.It was planned to carry out successful selection with honey-bearing individuals and develop a new type of domesticated bees - Africanized ones.
Unfortunately, geneticists were not able to see in advance all the features of this idea. For the history of beekeeping, this was the saddest experience, since the Africanized bees bred with their aggressiveness canceled out all the positive aspects.
Appearance of an African killer bee
Africanized bees stand out from other insects by their body size, while the sting is absolutely no different from the stings of domestic bees; to understand this, just look at the photo of a killer bee:
- the body is round, covered with small villi;
- muted color - yellow with black stripes;
- 2 pairs of wings: the front ones are larger in size than the rear ones;
- proboscis used to collect nectar;
- segmented antennae.
It is also important to understand that the venom of Africanized individuals is quite toxic and dangerous for all living things. The Africanized killer bee has inherited the strength of African individuals, as a result of which it has the following characteristics:
- high level of vitality;
- increased aggressiveness;
- resistance to any weather conditions;
- the ability to collect several times more honey than domestic bee colonies can do.
Since Africanized bees have a 24-hour shorter incubation period, they reproduce faster. The swarm attacks anyone who comes closer than 5 m to them.
Features include increased sensitivity and rapid response to pathogens of various kinds, for example:
- they are able to detect vibration from electrical appliances at a distance of 30 m;
- movement is captured from 15 m.
When the pathogen wears off, Africanized killer bees remain protected for 8 hours, while domestic bees calm down within 1 hour.
Habitat
Due to their rapid reproduction and high rate of spread, Africanized killer bees occupy new territories. The original habitat was Brazil - the place where they first appeared. Today they are located in the following places:
- Primorsky Krai of Russia;
- India;
- China;
- Japan;
- Nepal;
- Sri Lanka.
The insects are primarily found in Brazil, but in recent years Africanized bees have begun to move to new territories, spreading throughout Mexico and the United States.
Performance
Initially, genetic scientists bred a new species of Africanized bees with higher productivity compared to domestic bee colonies. As a result of the experiments, Africanized bees were born, which were called killer bees. Undoubtedly, this species has high productivity - it collects much more honey, pollinates plants more efficiently, and works throughout the day. Unfortunately, in addition to all this, insects are very aggressive, multiply quickly and occupy new territories, causing harm to all living things.
What benefits do insects bring?
Initially it was planned that the new hybrid would have a high working capacity, which would allow collecting much more honey.Undoubtedly, this is exactly what happened, only the resulting Africanized subspecies of bees became excessively aggressive, and the experiment led to unexpected results.
Despite this, the African honey bee is capable of providing benefits to the environment. Many experts claim that killer bees pollinate plants much faster and more efficiently. Unfortunately, this is where their usefulness ends. Due to the speed of movement and reproduction, they cannot be completely exterminated.
Why are insects dangerous?
In the process of movement, Africanized bees cause significant damage to beekeepers, destroying bee colonies and taking their honey. Environmentalists are concerned that the further spread of Africanized bees will lead to the complete destruction of domestic bees.
Killer bees attack anyone who dares to approach them within a radius of 5 m. In addition, they are carriers of dangerous diseases:
- varroa;
- acarapidosis.
To date, about 1,500 deaths from Africanized bee stings have been recorded. In the United States, there are far more deaths from killer bees than from snakes.
Doctors have calculated that death occurs from 500-800 bites. After 7-8 bites, a healthy person’s limbs will begin to swell and pain will appear for a while. For people with allergic reactions, a sting from an Africanized killer bee will result in anaphylactic shock followed by death.
The first death involving Africanized bees was recorded in 1975, when the death of a local school teacher, Eglantina Portugal.A swarm of bees attacked her on her way from home to work. Despite the fact that timely medical assistance was provided, the woman was in a coma for several hours, after which she died.
First aid for bites
If you are attacked by Africanized killer bees, you must immediately report it to the rescue service. In this case, it is best to postpone panic. An attack of up to 10 bites for a completely healthy person will not be fatal. From damage of 500 bites, the body will not be able to cope with the poison, which will lead to death.
High-risk groups include:
- children;
- aged people;
- allergy sufferers;
- pregnant women.
If after a bite a sting remains in the body, it must be immediately removed, and gauze soaked in ammonia or hydrogen peroxide must be placed on the bite site. The person who is bitten should drink as much water as possible if an allergic reaction occurs. You should seek medical help immediately.
Conclusion
Killer bees pose a serious threat not only to humans, but also to animals. It is important to understand that their poison is quite toxic, quickly spreads through the blood and is fatal. In the process of moving, they can attack apiaries, destroy bee colonies and steal the honey they collect. Today, work is underway to destroy them, but due to their ability to move and multiply quickly, it is not so easy to exterminate them.
