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Tomas Mozer, Apicultural consultant/Apiary
technician, University of Florida[1]
Preliminary analysis of morphometric[2]
(forewing length, fwl), genetic[3] (mitochondrial DNA, mtDNA)
and chemical[4] (cuticular hydrocarbon, CHC) data suggests that
feral honey bees in coastal regions of Florida are mongrelized
populations, partially differentiated from managed colonies/common
European subspecies, and possibly a unique ecotype adapted to
predominantly subtropical conditions.
Examination of Africanbee Identification logs[5] from 1986-92/1998-2000
consisting of suspect samples detected and/or trapped at various
port-of-entry vicinities, including FABIS[6] results, indicates
that the presumed feral populations' average worker forewing
length was 9.11+/-0.16mm (n=497), comparable to that found by
Daly et al (mean=9.15+/-0.01mm) who concluded that evidence "points
to an underlying genetic differentiation among feral populations
in California"[7].
Of particular interest were colonies of smaller worker bees (avg.
fwl <9.0mm), approximately 21% of total samples, of which
~1% were identified as Africanized honey bees by African mtDNA
markers[8]. The remaining ~20% manifested substantial western
as well as eastern European matrilines, including an uncertain
mitotype that was neither European nor (sub-Saharan) African,
but perhaps of circum-Mediterranean origin[9]. Some intermediate/hybrid
CHC profiles were also found, demonstrating the less than definitive
characteristics of this population[10].
These results concur with previous studies of the diversity of
feral and commercial populations in the southern U.S. by Schiff
& Sheppard[11] showing significant genetic differences which
"suggest that the feral population may represent a novel
source of genetic variation for breeding programs"[12].
References:
[1] contacts: P.O. Box 4144, St. Augustine, FL/USA 32085. E-mail:
tommozer@hotmail.com
[2] Rinderer, T.E. "Symposium: New Technologies for the
Taxonomic Identification of Arthropods: Computer Assisted Identification
of Hybrid Strains of Western Honey Bees".
Florida Entomologist; (September 1988), v71, n3, p281-288.
<http://webluis.fcla.edu/cgi-bin/cgiwrap/fclwlv3/wlv3/DBQB/
DI469768489/DGref/SSKIPk%3dhoney+bees/RO1/RP33/CM34/P13>
[3] Hall, H.G. "Symposium: New Technologies for the Taxonomic
Identification of Arthropods: Distinguishing African and European
Honeybees Using Nuclear DNA Restriction Fragment Polymorphisms".
Florida Entomologist; (September 1988), v71, n3, p294-299.
<http://webluis.fcla.edu/cgi-bin/cgiwrap/fclwlv3/wlv3/DBQB/
DI469768489/DGref/SSKIPk%3dhoney+bees/RO1/RP33/CM34/P12>
[4] Carlson, D.A. "Symposium: New Technologies for the Taxonomic
Identification of Arthropods: Hydrocarbons for Identification
and Phenetic Comparisons: Cockroaches, Honey Bees and Tsetse
Flies". Florida Entomologist; (September 1988), v71, n3,
p333-345.
<http://webluis.fcla.edu/cgi-bin/cgiwrap/fclwlv3/wlv3/DBQB/
DI469768489/DGref/SSKIPk%3dhoney+bees/RO1/RP33/CM34/P11>
[5] FDACS/DPI/Apiary inspection section: unpublished data.
<http://doacs.state.fl.us/~pi/plantinsp/bees.html>
[6] Sylvester, H.A. & Rinderer, T.E. "FABIS Manual:
Fast Africanized Bee Identification System". USDA/ARS, Honey-Bee
Breeding, Genetics & Physiology Research Laboratory.
<http://www.beesource.com/pov/ahb/fabismanual.htm>
[7] Daly, H.V., et al. "Clinal geographic variation in feral
honey bees in California, USA". 1991 Apidologie 22: pp.
591-609.
<http://danrrec.ucdavis.edu/sierra_foothill/
research_publications7.html#g_8>
[8] Hall, H.G.: unpublished results.
<http://www.ifas.ufl.edu/~hgh/deptpage/hgh_biog.htm>
[9] Franck, P., et al. "The origin of west European Subspecies
of honey bees (Apis mellifera): new insights from mitochondrial
DNA and microsatellite data. Evolution 52(4):1119-1134.
<http://www.ensam.inra.fr/URLB/apis/evolution/evolution.html>
[10] Page, R.E. & Erickson, E.H. "Identification and
Certification of Africanized Honey Bees". Ann. Entomol.
Soc. Am. 78: 149-158 (1985).
<http://www.beesource.com/pov/ahb/ahbidentification.htm>
[11] Sanford, M.T. "Tracking bee ancestry using DNA".
APIS v12, n7, July 1994. <http://apis.ifas.ufl.edu/apis94/apjul94.htm#2>
[12] Schiff, N.M. & Sheppard, W.S. "Genetic Analysis
of Commercial Honey Bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae) from the Southeastern
United States". J. Econ. Entomol. 88(5): 1216 - 1220 (1995).
<http://www.beesource.com/pov/ahb/jee1995.htm>
Disclaimer: the above findings/views
expressed are the author's own, they do not represent the State
and/or University of Florida's official positions.
Copyright © 2002 by Tomas Mozer, all rights reserved.
Copyleft: Verbatim copying of this document is permitted, in
any medium, under Design Science License terms and conditions
(see <http://dsl.org/copyleft/dsl.txt>)
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