Africanized honey bees produce a greater amount of alarm pheromone than European honey bees which incites other bees to attack. Bees can pursue a victim up to one mile and upon returning to the nest, can stay agitated for several days. Different stages in development within the colony could also have an effect, such as less food at certain times and places, and preparation to swarm. Drone production and mating behavior Africanized drones are produced in greater numbers than are European drones. In European colonies, drones are produced only until their numbers have reached a certain level.
Production then ceases and drones remain in the hive until the season is over.
In contrast, Africanized drones are produced continuously. At a certain age, they are forced out of the colony and replaced by younger drones. The older Africanized drones, present in ever increasing numbers, frequently drift into European colonies where they outnumber local drones and inhibit their production. Soon they are mating with European queens in the nest and the result is proliferation of Africanized drones by European queens and Africanization of the the colony. Africanized males have an advantage over European males in part due to sheer numbers.