First, Africanized bees should not be refered to as "killer bees". This
epithet is media hype and unnecessarily alarmist. To be sure, these bees
are rather prone to attack. Their attacks are "defensive" and take place
when the colony is threatened. The attacks are not "aggressive" in the
meaning of "unprovoked". We can be certain that the incidence of bee sting,
and multiple bee-stings will rise with the invasion of Africanized bees
into the USA. With that goes the public health hazard and associated
problems. However, it will probably turn out that various stings from
assorted wasps, other bees, and bites from various insects, will be often
blamed on "killer bees". This will make for problems for beekeepers!
It is the responsibility of informed people, such as bee-l'ers, to assist
in reducing the amount of public panic and purple media hype to their
proper perspective. Let's act responsibly for the beekeeping community and
its protection from mass hysteria.
 
Second, regarding the swarming tendency of Africanized bees. Please be aware
that they do not have the same seasonality, and short duration of swarming
that European honeybees have. Their rapid spread is explained, in large
part, by these bees ability to swarm often and rapidly, to bivouac in
some places for a few days and move on, and to behave so over an extended
season of favourable conditions. If bee-l'ers are starting to receive
inquiries about Africanized bees, there is a hefty body of literature to
use to inform oneself about their biology. One of the salient aspects of
African bee biology is that they are naturally rather migratory, unlike
European honeybees. I realize that some bee-l'ers may disagree in part with
what I have said. Perhaps I have over-simplified the situation. Let's
see some debate to help us all be better informed over this prickly
issue.
 
Thanks, Peter