Honey bees are known to be the strongest link in the chain between food producers and consumers. They contribute nearly $20 billion to the crop industry by providing pollination services all over the United States, and Florida's honey industry is ranked among the top five in the nation. There are nearly 5,000 registered beekeepers in the state of Florida, managing approximately 630,000 colonies. Unfortunately, high colony loss rates of honey bees have been reported throughout the world. Stressors, such as Varroa destructor, queen quality, and nutrition are just some of the reported factors associated with this decline. Researchers have been working to identify best management practices to mitigate these losses. All recommendations in these publications are based on scientific literature about honey bees in Florida and around the world.&nbsp;

Las abejas mel&iacute;feras son conocidas por ser el eslab&oacute;n m&aacute;s fuerte de la cadena entre los productores de alimentos y los consumidores. Ellas contribuyen con casi $20 mil millones a la industria del cultivo proveyendo servicios de polinizaci&oacute;n en todos los Estados Unidos y particularmente la industria de la miel en Florida est&aacute; entre las cinco mejores de toda la naci&oacute;n. Hay cerca de 5 mil apicultores registrados en el estado que gerencian aproximadamente 630 000 colonias. Desafortunadamente, se han reportado altas tasas de p&eacute;rdidas de colonias en todo el mundo.&nbsp; Factores estresantes como el par&aacute;sito Varroa destructor, la calidad de las reinas y otros relacionados con la nutrici&oacute;n son algunos de los relacionados con este declive. Muchos investigadores han estado trabajando para identificar las mejores formas de manejo para mitigar estas p&eacute;rdidas. Todas las recomendaciones en estas publicaciones est&aacute;n basadas en literatura cient&iacute;fica sobre las abejas mel&iacute;feras en Florida y el mundo.&nbsp;

Honey Beekeeping in Florida

Apicultura en Florida 

Apiculture

Bees

Abejas

Wasps and Bees

Africanized Honey Bee

Abejas Melíferas Africanizadas

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Photograph by W. H. Kern, University of Florida.

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030877.jpg UF/IFAS Photo by Cat Wofford
Copyright 2023 UF/IFAS Communications

Africanized Honey Bee

Publications

Swarm Trapping for Pest Control Operators

Choosing the Right Pest Control Operator for Honey Bee Removal: A Consumer Guide

Living with African Bees in Florida's Outdoor Workplaces

Eradication of Swarms and Colonies for Pest Control Operators

Keeping Africanized Honey Bees Out of Wildlife Nest Boxes

African Honey Bee Information for School Administrators

Differences Between European and African Honey Bees

Living with the African Honey Bee

African Honey Bee, Africanized Honey Bee, Killer Bee, Apis mellifera scutellata Lepeletier (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Apidae)

Bee-Proofing for Florida Citizens