Africanized honeybee

American  

[af-ri-kuh-nahyzd huhn-ee-bee] / ˈæf rɪ kəˌnaɪzd ˈhʌn iˌbi /

noun

1. a hybrid of the African and European honeybees produced by the mingling of domesticated European colonies with an African colony of notably defensive honeybees. Soon after Africanized honeybees were introduced to an experimental apiary in Brazil in 1956, they escaped into North America, where they continue to spread northward from the American Southwest.

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Etymology

Origin of Africanized honeybee

First recorded in 1970–75; Africaniz(e) ( def. ) + -ed ² ( def. )

Example Sentences

Some bees are more aggressive than others, including the Africanized honeybee, or killer bee, whose swarms can lead to a fatal volume of stings.

From Washington Times • May 16, 2023