“How can I tell if the bees on my property are Africanized?” We get this question from our customers from time to time. The answer is not always clear cut because wild bees in San Diego are hybridized African bees. You see, thankfully, feral bees in San Diego are not 100% Africanized. That being said, over 70% of our wild bees are African hybrids. The real question is, what percentage of the genetic make up of the swarm is Africanized?
It’s nearly impossible for the average person to tell if a swarm is hybridized. The only certain diagnosis can be made in a science laboratory. But the technicians here at Bee Best Bee Removal claim that they can tell…once they start messing with ’em.
So what characteristics lead our technicians to believe a swarm they are working with might be partially hybridized? Here are 3 main things our technicians experience that help them speculate if the bees are hybridized:
1. The Flight Pattern. European honeybees have a gentle, soft, and floating flight pattern as they enter the hive. Hybridized bees “dart” in and out, in a quick and direct manner. To illustrate this distinction, one could say the European honeybee has a flight pattern that is reminiscent of a soft snow flurry. The Hybrid African bees are more like a hail storm.
2. The number of stings and the odor. When docile bees attack to defend their hive, they do it with fewer stings. Hybridized bees attack in greater numbers and sting more often. In fact the smell of a Hybridized attack becomes overwhelming due to the number of alarm pheromones being released as they sting.
3. The size of their defensive zone. European honeybees will chase and protect an area up to 50-100 feet of the hive. African hybrid bees have been know to attack and defend an area as large as a 600 feet.
Take a look at the clip below. It’s a video of a swarm that was captured in two temporary hive boxes and is being merged into one permanent hive box. You will notice the bees are a bit aggressive and start to attack the technician.
We should mention that just because bees are aggressive does not always mean they are Africanized. Even European honeybees will attack and defend their hive if threatened. Hybrid African bees vary from colony to colony and their level of aggression can vary. The best way to tell if bees are Africanized is by having an entomologist view them under a microscope and/or through DNA analysis. Since our technicians don’t have access to either of those in the field, they rely on the three characteristics mentioned above.
Ever had an experience with aggressive bees that you believe may have been Africanized? Share your story below.
