Killer Bees

Africanized Honey Bees are the same species as the familiar European honey bees (EHB) used to produce honey and pollinate crops, but a different subspecies. They are called "Africanized Honey Bees" (abbreviated AHB) because they are the result of interbreeding between European bees and bees from Africa inadvertently released in Brazil in the 1950's. They have also been referred to as "Killer Bees" in the media because of their increased defensive behavior. Where they came …

…to reduce the amount of venom they inject. Africanized Bee facts Deaths in US from AHB stings No. When, Where, Who How 1 August, 1993 Texas 82-yr-old man 40 stings 2 June, 1994 Texas 98-yr-old man 50 stings 3 October, 1995 Phoenix AZ 88-yr-old woman >1000 stings 4 October, 1995 Phoenix AZ 66-yr-old man 66 stings 5 April, 1997 Casa Grande, AZ 72 yr-old man ? 6 September 1999 Long Beach CA 83 yr-old man ~50 stings First discovery of Africanized bees by state: Texas October 1990 New Mexico October 1993 Arizona June 1993 California October 1994 Nevada April 1999