Hi to all on Bee-l

Peter Borst wrote:
It seems as if, had there been an artificial enlarging of
bees by human interaction, he would have mentioned it here.
He states that European bees are up to 31% larger than some
African races, but regards this as a natural -- not
artificial -- difference. Furthermore, if there were such a
phenomenon as abnormally enlarged populations within a
paritcular race, this would render the above statements
invalid. Do people really believe that such a thing as a
*significant human modification* of honey bees by man would
have escaped the notice of Dr. Ruttner and all other
researchers engaged in the study of honey bee races? How
could this possibly be?

Reply:
Peter, Ruttener is not wrong, but you need to make an
adjustment as to how you are looking at what he is saying
in your thoughts.

Dark (brown/black) col-weather bees exist naturally below
30 degrees latitude where higher altitudes permit. i.e.
monticola.

Yellow hot-weather bees exist naturally above 30 degrees
latitude where warm thermal areas permit, i.e. Italian in
Italy or other yellow races/strains around the
mediterranean.

Small caste races/strains of hot-weather bees exist at  the
Equator and large caste races/strains of cold-weather bees
exist as they approach the poles.

As all races/strains of bees advance towards temperature
transition-zones at near 30 degrees latitude, hot-weather
bees hybridize more and also are larger, while col-weather
bees hybridize less and also are smaller. (Note: the yellow
is at the furthest to the poles for range for largeness
naturally, and the brown/black is at the furthest from the
poles for range for smallness naturally. Deviations here
within these zones of tropical and temperate then become
due to altitude as pertains to sizing.)

Now Ruttner is comparing African with much zoning in the
tropical area associated with the Equator and its zoning
parameters for smallness. He is also comparing European
with all zoning in the temperate area associated with
larger size parameters.

Take the bees as described in old books then by cell size
in linear measurements by race/strain and lay them out and
you get latitude zones in bands around the world, that then
also fall out by racial colors naturally.(Remember here the
altitude/thermal deviations).

For more information please see:
http://www.beesource.com/pov/lusby/apiacta1995.htm  titled:
Field Breeding Basics for Honeybees Using Colony
Thermodynamics Within the Transition Zones.  Remember when
you see the undelined fig/tables to hit with your pointing
arrow and bring up the pictures here also.

For map please see:
http://www.beesource.com/pov/lusby/therm_map.htm

Regards,

Dee A. Lusby







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