[sci.bio] Killer bees

algray@toad.pilchuck.Data-IO.COM (Al Gray) (07/14/89)

	Last I heard the "killer bees" were migrating up through central
	America but had not yet reached Panama.  An attempt was being made
	to alter their behavior by releasing large quantities of a more
	benign breed of bee in the area.  The hope was that the two would
	mate and produce less aggressive bees.

	Has anyone heard how this experiment turned out?

	Al Gray

dmark@cs.Buffalo.EDU (David Mark) (07/15/89)

In article <1251@pilchuck.Data-IO.COM> algray@toad.pilchuck.Data-IO.COM (Al Gray) writes:
>
>	Last I heard the "killer bees" were migrating up through central
>	America but had not yet reached Panama. ...
>   ...

I don't mean to pick on Al, but, how can something migrate "up through
Central America" yet not reach Panama?!?!?  Be aware that Panama is
the Central American country that is connected to South America, through
its boundary with Colombia.

Also, a grad student was killed by killer bees at the Organization for
Tropical Studies' <<Finca La Selva>> biological research station in Costa
Rica (this side of Panama) about 3-4 years ago.

So, where are those bees now, anyhow?

(And , PS, this "place-name" type stuff is NOT what college geography is
all about!!)

David M. Mark, Professor of Geography, SUNY at Buffalo

gors@well.UUCP (Gordon Stewart) (07/18/89)

Check the NY Times Index for the specific reference, but Africanized
bees are already in MEXICO, and have been spotted in places in
Texas, NM, AZ and California!


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pwilcox@paldn.UUCP (Peter McLeod Wilcox) (07/18/89)

In article <1251@pilchuck.Data-IO.COM>, algray@toad.pilchuck.Data-IO.COM (Al Gray) writes:
> 
> 	Last I heard the "killer bees" were migrating up through central
> 	America but had not yet reached Panama.  An attempt was being made
> 	to alter their behavior by releasing large quantities of a more
> 	benign breed of bee in the area.  The hope was that the two would
> 	mate and produce less aggressive bees.

The attempt to modify the colonies by breeding failed - the African strain
seems to be dominant, socially if not genetically.  They are currently in
Mexico, and due to reach Texas in the 90's, I believe.

Pete Wilcox		...gatech!nanovx!techwood!paldn!pwilcox