A New Public Nuisance MYTH or FACT? Africanized bees do not produce honey. MYTH FACT MYTH or FACT? Honey is the only valuable product beekeepers contribute to the economy. MYTH FACT MYTH or FACT? A person who does not eat honey has no use for honeybees. MYTH FACT Your score: Economic Effect of Africanized Bees The introduction of the Africanized bee could cause economic losses to the U.S. beekeeping industry ranging from $29 million to $58 million annually, according to the Economic Research Service, USDA. The Texas bee industry may lose $2 million to $4 million per year if the Africanized honey bee colonizes the state. In some parts of Central and South America, unmanaged Africanized bees reduced honey production of domestic bees by 60 to 70 percent or more, largely due to competition for available nectar. Domestic honey bees that interbreed with Africanized ones may become harder to manage for use as pollinators and less efficient at producing honey. Honey and Other Hive Products Honey bees in the United States produce about $150 million worth of honey annually. Texas produces about 5 percent of U.S. honey. About 200,000 honey bee colonies in Texas produce honey and other products and services valued at $9 million to $11 million each year. In addition to honey, these include wax, queens, packaged bees and pollination rental. Pollination Cultivated crops known to benefit from honey bee pollination are estimated at about $9 billion annually in the United States. The value of pollination of agricultural crops by honey bees in Texas is estimated at $480 million each year. Honey bees in the United States pollinate about $10 billion worth of crops each year, including apples, berries, cantaloupes, cucumbers and almonds. Identification Habitat Economics Stings Education What to do Where they are Ask a Bee Question FAQ Home AgNews For more information about Africanized honey bees, contact Dr. John Jackman at j-jackman@tamu.edu.