Work done in Mexico 

Takeover of colonies is an important mechanism by
which Africanized honey bees displace resident
populations of managed European honey bees.

Our surprising finding of a high frequency of medium
or strong colonies being invaded contradicts the
notion that queenless colonies (e.g. mating nucs) are
the prime targets for invasion. This result may also
mean that the potential risk to the invading queen
is lower than it appears on first examination.

Thus, colony invasion results in accelerated spread
of the Africanized incoming population and constitutes
one of the elements of maternal migration and
an important component of the gene flow from feral
Africanized bees to managed European apiaries.

Vergara, C., Dietz, A., & de Leon, A. P. (1993). Female parasitism of European honey bees by Africanized honey bee swarms in Mexico. Journal of Apicultural Research, 32(1), 34-30.

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