A Case Study Of A Biological Invasion

One of the most amazing biological phenomena that has occurred in our life time is the introduction and spread of the African honey bee (AHB) in the western hemisphere. Within 50 years of its initial introduction into Brazil, the AHB has colonized much of the New World, giving rise to one of the most rapid and spectacular biological invasions humans have ever witnessed. A remarkable feature of the AHB is its ability to displace resident European honey bees (EHB). As the AHB migrated northward from Brazil, it largely or entirely replaced feral European honey bees in almost every area where it became established, often with dramatic consequences for apiculture, agriculture, and public safety. Indeed, a project that began 50 years ago as a means to improve honey production in Brazil ultimately changed beekeeping in 17 countries over two continents. The African bee arrived in the U.S. in 1990. It is now permanently established throughout the southwestern states and parts of California, where it is displacing feral EHB populations and creating public safety concerns in many regions. Recent reports of the AHB from Louisiana and Florida raise the possibility that the southeastern states will also be colonized by this highly invasive insect. Learning to control and cope with the African bee (and with the media attention that invariably follows it) requires knowledge of its biology, history, how it interacts with European bees, and the effects it is likely to have as it spreads in the U.S. To this end, we present a series of three articles that discuss the major aspects of the AHB in the Americas. The first article compares the biology and survival strategies of African and European bees and summarizes the history of the AHB in the western hemisphere, beginning with the initial introductions into Brazil. The second article discusses the different factors that influence the AHB’s ability to displace European honey bees in the western hemisphere. In the final article, we examine the spread and economic impacts of the AHB in the U.S. and speculate about its possible future movements.