Tina Taylor, age 12, of Navajo, N.M., for her question:
WHAT IS THE STORY OF THE KILLER BEES?
The average honeybee is expected to sting when scared or molested. But now and then we hear terrifying tales about whole hives of savage bees. They swarm forth in fury, jabbing hundreds of stingers into every person and animal in the neighborhood. As usual, the ghastly reports are exaggerated. True, the so‑called killer bees are fierce‑‑and they are spreading. But the final outcome promises to be a pleasant surprise.
The story started a generation ago in Brazil. There the usual American bees produced less honey because the climate was unfriendly to them. Different ‑bees were imported from Europe, but they, too, failed to cope with the tropical climate.
Then, in 1956, 35 queen bees from tropical Africa were taken to an experimental bee station in Sao Paulo, Brazil. This adansonii bee strain had a reputation for producing lots of honey‑‑but it was savage and hard to manage. The large queens were set in hives with metal grills to keep them inside, leaving the smaller workers enough room to come and go.
All went well for a year or so. Then a visiting busybody thought those grills would suffocate the bees inside, so he removed them. This started the frantic tale of the so‑called killer bees.
More than 20 of the African queen bees escaped with swarms of their workers. They nested in the neighborhood, multiplied and spread. Now and then, for no good reason, the savage bees attacked innocent bystanders. Through the years, several hundred of their victims have died from multiple stings. Panic spread faster than the bees.
Through the years, the killer bees have spread hundreds of miles south and west and 1,000 miles north of Sao Paulo. However, along the way a sort of miracle has occurred. The savage bees mated and merged with the more civilized local bees.
After a few generations, new and different strains arose. These bees, still spreading, have inherited the talent for making bumper honey crops. But they seem to be more peaceable. True, they often forget their manners and attack for no good reason. But experts assure us that they are a lot calmer than those original African killers.
Some experts suspect that the spreading bees cannot get through the steamy jungles of Panama. Others think they will succeed and may reach North America in about 10 years. In any case, they cannot spread north to cold winter climates. If and when the mixed strains do arrive, let's hope they remember how to produce lots of honey‑‑and forget the wild days of their savage ancestors.