The Largest in the World killer bee and its story (7 photos + 1 video)

This unusual statue in a Texas town has become a source of pride for locals who call their home the killer bee capital of the world.





In October 1990, the first colony of Africanized "killer bees" was discovered near the town of Hidalgo, Texas. Although their unwanted arrival in the States caused panic in the media, the town in southern Texas reacted to it with unusual calm and even amusement.



Africanized Bee

Africanized bees came to the United States from Brazil. In the 1950s, South American scientists attempted to crossbreed European honey bees with African bees to increase honey production and create a subspecies that would thrive in subtropical climates. Problems arose when several African queens escaped from a Brazilian apiary and began mating with various local subspecies, resulting in an unstable hybrid subspecies.





Africanized honey bees are much less docile than their European counterparts.



The Hidalgo Killer Bee, commissioned by the city for $20,000 in the early 1990s, now sits outside City Hall

The bees themselves are not deadly - their sting is slightly less potent than that of the European honeybee. However, they are much more aggressive when provoked. When Africanized bees sense that their hive is being disturbed, they swarm and sting in large groups. Even the sound of a passing car or a lawn mower can trigger an attack, which can be fatal.



The escaped bees and their offspring began to spread north across the country, killing animals and even people along the way. When a swarm of about 3,000 individuals was found trapped on the outskirts of Hidalgo, it was evidence that the uninvited immigrants had finally crossed the Mexican border. They were not received as warmly as previous immigrants.



Hidalgo was the only place where their arrival was celebrated in a big way. Instead of avoiding the topic, the town's mayor decided to celebrate the connection to the terrifying insects. The town has become known as the "killer bee capital of the world," and Hidalgo's Economic Development Department spent $20,000 to erect a lifelike, massive statue of an Africanized honey bee.



The town even sells T-shirts, posters, and postcards featuring the terrifying insect.

All of this is a reminder that when killer bees come to Texas, whether they're lone stooges or swarms, the people of Hidalgo are always ready to meet them.