The question of inbred bees is a non-starter in any case, as Ben Oldroyd points out:

> Some previous studies of commercial honey bees have suggested that, as with other livestock, bee populations are characterized by low genetic diversity and that low diversity has arisen as a result of domestication. Low genetic diversity is of particular concern for honey bees, because intracolonial genetic diversity is essential to colony health and fitness. Indeed, some authors have speculated that recent declines in honey bee populations in Europe and North America and the phenomenon of "Colony Collapse Disorder" may be linked to declining genetic diversity.

> Harpur et al. (2012) argue against this view, showing that unlike other livestock breeding, honey bee breeding seems to have increased rather than decreased genetic diversity in commercial strains. Harpur et al. (2012) show low FIS [inbreeding coefficient] and genetic admixture for the managed Canadian and French populations they studied. It therefore seems to me that reduced genetic diversity is unlikely to be contributing to CCD (or if CCD exists at all—but that is another story).  Harpur et al. (2012) show that the domestication of honey bees, rather than reducing genetic variance in the population, has increased it.

Molecular Ecology (2012) 21, 4409–4411

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