To understand the threat of Africanized honey bees, it is necessary to know something in general about honey bees and their behavior.

Honey bees are important beneficial insects and we would be in big trouble if they were all suddenly destroyed. Unless a honey bee colony is in a location that is close to people, pets or farm animals, it should be left alone.

Most people appreciate the main product of the hive - honey. Honey production, however, isn't the only use for honey bees. They are also very important to Arizona agriculture, a sophisticated business that impacts the state's economy by about $6.3 billion annually.

In fact, one-third of our daily diet comes from crops pollinated by honey bees. Without the pollen that honey bees transport, many plants can't produce fruits, vegetables and seeds. Imagine walking into your neighborhood supermarket and finding a third of the food currently available not on the shelves!