> How do we define locally adapted??

Locally adapted bees would have changed over time to be more responsive to local conditions than bees from another region. For example:

> Within France, Louveaux et al. (1966) described four ecotypes of the subspecies Apis mellifera mellifera. The ecotypes were distinguished from one another by distinct colony population cycles (as measured by the annual brood cycle) that were genetically adapted to the floral phenology within their areas of endemism. One of the four French ecotypes occurred in the Landes region and had an unusual colony annual brood cycle that was adapted to the late season blooming of ling heather, Calluna vulgaris. (Strange 2008).

In the work I mentioned yesterday, they found a distinct population of bees on Catalina Island. These have been separated from the mainland, possibly for 100 years. Whether they exhibit adaptations to the island, was not addressed by the study. The original question is "how long would it take?" To which I add, it isn't enough to be genetically different, which would naturally occur over time. There has to be some measure of adaptation such as higher productivity on local flows, or increased survivability -- both of these compared to run of the mill honey bee stock.

PLB

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