Africanized Honeybees Pop Up in Alabama

With your Southeast Regional Ag News, I am Haylie Shipp. This is the Ag Information Network.

Not all bees are created equal and, in Alabama, that lesson is being learned in real time.

From the Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries (ADAI) is confirmation of the presence of Africanized Honeybees (AHB) in Jackson and St. Clair Counties. They report both finds were feral swarms collected by local beekeepers and have been euthanized to protect Alabama’s honeybees. Africanized Honeybees can be highly defensive and pose a risk to humans and animals.

ADAI is taking swift action to mitigate any risks associated with these invasive bees. Traps are being set up within a five-mile radius of the detection sites to capture and identify any further presence of AHB as they try and assess the situation.

"Our goal is to protect both our residents and the health of our local bee populations," said Commissioner of Agriculture & Industries Rick Pate. "We are working diligently to monitor the situation and taking necessary actions to prevent the spread of these aggressive bees."

Africanized Honeybees differ from European Honeybees (EHB) in behavior not appearance. The public is urged to stay vigilant and report any unusually aggressive bee behavior to ADAI.