"Selective breeding by humans or extreme isolation may produce a particular strain of bee which fits the needs of the beekeeper or the constraints of that extreme environment...."

> How can honey bees in the US locally adapt with all the movement of genetics due to the migratory portion of the business?  We all know that selective breeding of bees is difficult due to polyandry. 

I think we are saying the same thing. Here is another wrinkle. I began to look into co-evolution a few years back. The classic examples of co-evolution have to do with certain closely linked species like some orchid pollinating bees. 

But most co-evolution is expressed as networks, so tightly linked species are the exception, not the rule. It is a dead end strategy for an insect to specialize on one species of plant; likewise, it's a dead end for a plant to become dependent on one pollinator. The most resilient species, therefore, are generalists. Insects that can thrive under a wide set of circumstances, plants that can get pollinated by a multitude of species (even self pollinating if needed). 

So just as the ideal pollinator would be a generalist, the ideal honey bee would be a generalist, too. It would thrive under a variety of conditions. A bee that thrives only in say: Vermont --  isn't going to be much use elsewhere or even in Vermont if the climate changes. Whereas, you get the drift.

PLB

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