Reproduction and Competitive Advantages

1 . African bees swarm more frequently than European bees. How is this a threat to us in the US? How is this helpful to African bees?

Because AHBs produce more swarms each year than EHBs, and also grow from egg to adult more quickly, AHBs can produce more adult bees and colonies faster than EHBs. This characteristic results in AHBs gaining a population advantage over EHBs, eventually decreasing the EHB population. By swarming and breaking the brood cycle, disease, parasite and pest populations are decreased.

2 . How did 26 swarms of Africanized bees from Brazil basically overwhelm millions of European colonies in Central America and the US?

Colony usurpation by Africanized swarms and queens Drone parasitism- Africanized drones drift into European colonies and cause negative feedback loop for European colonies Africanized colonies produce a disproportionate number of drones European queens encounter a disproportional number of Africanized drones in the drone congregation area.