Why Puerto Rico's Killer Bees Stopped Killing

Upon their arrival in Puerto Rico, killer bees caused one human death a year. But something strange began to happen -- they became gentler.

From: SECRETS OF THE HIVE

[bumblebee]

Casually holding a swarm of killer bees should at the very least be considered a minor super power

[raykishin]

The bees got nerfed with the recent patch.

[dissonanceparadiddle]

They found a much safer home. Watching that one bee mid air cartwheel from the rain was kinda hilarious. Poor little lady 😅

[mikeg]

Bees: 'hey maybe if we stop being dicks and killing people, everyone won't hate us.'

[tippyandfriend]

They finally learnt to BEEhave.

Yeah, yeah, I'll find my own way out.

[stevegwizzle]

They literally adapted to their new environment.

[SpecialAgentBillMaxwell]

Hero punches the villain with a fist of killer bees. Credits roll.

[alexermerson]

They have fewer threats that require focus on defense so they place more emphasis on the economy.
I wish we did the same.

[InnannasRainbow]

It's because of social outreach programs for inner city bees. ;)

[andyr.]

It's because of the Puerto Rican rum. A little goes a long way.

[clickpause]

Maybe it's due to the fact soldier bees are largely unnecessary, so those colonies that don't waste food by producing and rearing them live longer.

[sonicjet]

THAT MANS GOT BALLS TO HANDLE WITH DANGER BEES :()

[christopherg]

The African bees these were bred with, had very high honey production - and very high agression. This was a nessesary set of traits for the environment - Africa.
Outside of african style environments with it's climate and predators, that hyperagression is no longer needed. Maintaining such a large force of warriors is just a reource drain. The wet season might have expediated that adaptation, but it is generally where they are going.

[TheImmortuary]

The ultimate example how an organism is a product of its environment.

[mrs.schmenkman]

Five year later... why are we not talking about this? Remember when Americans were TERRIFIED of Killer Bees????

[thuzan]

its also possible that since our first instinct when we encounter a possible threat, like aggressive killer bees, is to neutralize it, that and the fact that since highly aggressive bees would suffer high mortality rates from stinging, could have acted as a selecting force. in any case i'm glad this situation hasn't gotten nearly as bad as was initially feared. In fact i've heard that in many parts of the US beekeepers have begun raising killer bees, they are more productive than standard european honeybees and can tolerate more arid climates if I recall correctly, which is why they were originally created.

[Sadin]

This is fantastic! I love this idea that the weather could play such a major role in both having a robust hive that fends off varroa mites, but are also gentler to handle.

[Rivenburg-xdyf]

killer bees in Arizona appear to have mellowed out as well. instead of stinging people as much, they will bump them in the forhead or chest. Bees like me for some reason, even the killers. my orange trees are covered in blossoms right now and there are killers with their smaller, darker bodies, higher pitched wing beats and more attitude, and regular italian bees that are really mellow towards people. They fight over blossoms on the orange trees. Ill be walking by since my two trees are right outside my shop and the bees will fight angrly in the air in front of my face. Both types ignore me. several times ive been with other people who the bees didnt like and they got bumped which really freaked my wife out when the first killer swarm moved into my yard and bumped her a couple of times. They didnt stay, thankfully, but moved on after two days. Same with several buddies out hiking, in a very narrow gorge spring, going up on a 65 degree angle, tangled in brush nowhere to go but up the super narrow trail, they started bumping my buddies, but not me. They didnt sting anyone. but my buddies were freaked a bit.

[jungleno.]

Its because they've been sneaking into the Bacardi Factory at night. They are all mellowed Out.

[AccidentalNinja]

It may also be a "cultural" difference because of the need for more foragers; the other thing that occurs to me is that, if every sting leads to a dead bee, the massive attack response would be very costly to the hive so less aggression may leave the hive better able to survive.