Pearlman, M., Miraglia, E., Kaplan, J. et al
Melittologists have officially documented potentially dangerous type of bee living in North America, which are so fierce the scientists felt they had no choice but to call them Drag Queen bees. The insects, dubbed Apis RuPaulis, are extremely dangerous and have a powerful side eye that is as painful as any regular bee sting. Scientists fear the species could quickly overtake other bee species, as each Drag Queen hive is heavily protected by swarms of loyal #werker bees.
Unlike traditional honey bees, which play a key role in agriculture, early data suggest that Drag Queen bees are more interested in cross-dressing, rather than cross-pollinating. Instead of producing honey, drag queens direct their hives to focus on throwing shade, in which the hives swarm fields of flowers that the queen has deemed “cancelled.” The shade from the bees can slow plant growth by keeping crops out of the sun.
In addition, these queens can death drop from above and attack viciously when threatened. “At first, we thought that they didn’t have any stingers,” explains noted bee scientist Dr. Katherine Lee, “eventually realized they were just tucking them in.”
Drag Queen bee stings can produce a variety of sickening effects, including local inflammation and gagging. “Queens have been spotted building hives in dense urban areas, so if you live near popular bars or nightclubs, you may be at heightened risk,” Dr Lee noted.
Safety officials recommend that if you see a drag queen bee, you should sashay away as quickly as possible.
