First off, they are not really "killers." We prefer to call them "Africanized bees"
because they carry dominant genetic traits they inherited from a few colonies
of African honey bees that were accidentally released into Brazil in the 1950's.
The most obvious of these traits is their extremely vigorous defense of the hive.
Whereas European honey bees send out a few dozen guards to defend the hive from attack,
Africanized honey bees send out several thousand guards with far less provocation and a
far more aggressive stinging inclination. Nonetheless, the individual sting of an
Africanized bee is no more painful or toxic than that of an individual European bee.
Africanized bees have been well established in Phoenix, Arizona and San Diego, California for several years now, and are spreading across the Southwest. In the summer of 1999, they established a foothold in Los Angeles and Bakersfield, and appear to be ready to take California's Central Valley next. Cool climates do not appear to be a problem for these bees, as they have done quite well in Flagstaff with its snowy Rocky Mountain winters.
We expect to see them soon in Gilroy. We will put more information here as things develop.
Update - April 2000
There have been confirmed AHB incidents in Fresno this Spring. AHB is wasting no time moving up into the Central Valley. They could arrive in our area any time. If we're lucky, well have a year or two before they arrive in Gilroy, but don't count on it!
