Africanized Honey Bee

insects · hybrid animals · defenders

A hybrid bee. Africanized honey bees are a mix of African honey bees and European honey bees like Italian and Iberian varieties. Scientists originally created them by crossbreeding different types of honey bees.

Super protective hive. These bees got their nickname 'killer bee' because they defend their hive much more aggressively than other honey bees. They will chase threats much farther from their home and in larger numbers.

From Africa originally. The African honey bee parent species, called Apis mellifera scutellata, gave the hybrid its bold personality. This bee type evolved in Africa and adapted to be fiercer when protecting what's theirs.

European bee heritage. The other parent bees came from Europe, including the gentle Italian honey bee and the Iberian honey bee. These milder European bees mixed with the bold African bees to create the hybrid.