After determinations are made and odors acquired, they are allowed, by mechanisms unknown, to enter the nest with little opposition. This creates a considerable problem for keepers of European bees during periods of high swarming. Excessive swarming Africanized honey bees swarm at a rate far greater than European honey bees. Unlike the European bees who construct large nests for winter protection and storage of food resources, seldom abandoning them, Africanized honey bees, not needing winter storage, construct smaller nests. Most of their resources go toward reproduction and the rearing of young.
Africanized bees are smaller than European honey bees and swarm at a younger age.
Their numbers increase very rapidly and they soon outgrow the small nests. This is the single most undesirable trait resulting from the takeover and Africanization for bee keepers of managed European honey bee colonies, although resource consumption by Africanized honey bees for production of bees rather than stockpiles of honey is also a problem. Absconding Absconding differs from swarming in that colonies which abscond, do not leave behind a young queen, resources or workers. The disturbance can be brought about by predation, fire, pest invasion or overheating. The most susceptible time for absconding occurs as colonies establish recent nests.