Crime Pays But Botany Doesn't Please Don't "Save the (honey)Bees"
Nov 15, 2025
Reed Booth, an experienced killer-bee exterminator from Bisbee, Arizona, joins the conversation to discuss the notorious scutellata hybrid, or killer bees, and their aggressive nature. He explains how these hybrids dominate native bee populations and harm biodiversity. The duo emphasizes the risks of backyard beekeeping, highlighting misconceptions about honeybees versus native pollinators. They share gripping stories of dangerous bee encounters and stress the importance of professional hive removals to protect both people and the environment.
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Hybrid Bees Are A Different Ecological Problem
- Africanized (scutellata hybrid) honeybees are genetically distinct and far more aggressive than European bees.
- Their behavior plus human activity has made them the dominant feral honeybee across much of the Americas.
A Hike Turned Into A 200‑Sting Chase
- Reed described a friend chased and stung about 200 times while searching brush for herps.
- The man was pursued for half a mile, illustrating how persistent attacks can be.
Honeybees Can Harm Native Pollinators And Plants
- Honeybees reduce native pollinator diversity and can lower plant fitness by promoting selfing.
- Honeybees' foraging patterns (visiting many flowers on one plant) increase inbreeding compared with native bees.
