In 1994, Africanized bees first arrived in California. These bees were originally cross-bred between European and African bees. These bees later escaped and spread to the United States.
They have problems living in colder temperatures during the winter, thus why they have resided and populated in the South, Southwest, Southeast, and West coastal regions of America. However, Joshua Kohn, a biology professor at UC San Diego, says that due to to higher temperatures caused by global warming, the killer bees may continue to push north in the coming years.
These bees are so dangerous because the mix between the African and European species makes them highly aggressive. They are very quick to protect their nests to anything they see as even the slightest threat.
It is found that people in several states populated with these bees have been seriously injured or even killed because they endured thousands of stings.
Here's another fact, these bees are very disease resistant, and they can overcome and fight away diseases that can kill off whole colonies of normal honey bees.
Joshua Kohn is part of a team that is studying ways to modify these bees with bees from other managed bee populations to try and create disease resistant bees that aren't likely to kill anyone.
How do you think scientists should deal with these killer bees?
Do you think there are pros and cons to these Africanized bees? Explain.
It makes me kind of nervous that these killer bees are starting to spread all throughout the United States and scientists aren't doing very much about it. I think they should start aggressively studying the habits of these bees and come of will ways to contain them better and make a safer environment for everyone. I also, however, think it's good that they are trying to use these bees to breed and create safer bees. Yes, I do think there are pros and cons to these Africanized bees. One pro is that this is a very disease resistant bee that can be used to create other breeds of bees so we can save the honey bee populations from dying out. A con is that these bees are very dangerous. They act fast and can severely injure and even kill. If they get even worse, this can be a threat to people all over America.
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Replies
Excellent job Greichaly!
Just the thought of aggressive, killer bees that are migrating up north definitely frightens me. I think that scientists should find ways to keep the African bee population down so that it doesn't get out of control to a point that it could lead to huge devastation. I think that the African bee has a lot of cons, such as being extremely dangerous to humans which could cause a major outbreak, if they aren't contained, that would lead to many people being injured and killed. I do think the idea of making a disease resistant bee by cross-breeding an African bee and a honey bee is a really interesting idea and could improve our ecosystem (since it would save honey bees and honey bees contribute a lot to their ecosystem).
I definitely agree with you! These bees could be a huge problem, but they could also "bee" the solution! See what I did there? Anyways, if scientists to cross-breed a honey bee and this African bee, the disease resistant genes could help honeybees not go extinct! How do you think these bees should be contained? Don't you think it'd be kind of difficult to isolate a whole population of killer bees like this? I think it might be a struggle.
I think that this is pretty scary to think of deadly bees that are coming to the United States. I feel like there is not a very efficient way to keep them away or protect yourself from them which makes me nervous as well. I know that bees are good for the environment and I respect them for all the work they do, but it's still scary to think that if you're caught in the wrong place at the wrong time, bad things may happen
I agree with you, it's definitely scary to think that these bees could attack us at any time. They defend their nests at even the slightest threat, so they could attack even if you're just walking by. I also agree that it'd be hard to try and contain them, but I don't know what else we'd be able to do. Bees help the environment so much that you can't really kill a whole species.
I think they should try to eradicate the bees because they are an invasive species that should not belong in America. I think there can be only bad coming from these bees since they don't belong in America and they are dangerous to the people and animals of this country.
I kind of agree with you, but what if the scientists could tame them down? Don't you think this would help the honey bee population not become extinct so fast? I think there is a good side and a bad side to these bees. Do you think there is only a bad side?
it is kinda frightening that there are killer bees and they shuld find a way to control them.
I agree, but how do you think they should control them? Do you think they should kill them or just isolate them?
This is pretty serious. I'm surprised that this isn't being talked about as much. Yeah I think scientists should figure out a way of containing them, but on the other hand if they are helping the honey bee population that's another issue that we have to deal with.
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