The effect of africanization on honey production, defensive behavior and size of honeybees (Apis mellifera L.) in the mexican high plateau. Uribe RJL, Guzmán NE, Hunt GJ, Correa BA, Zozaya RJA. 14-sep-2011

This study was conducted to determine the effect of african genes on the production of honey, stinging behavior and size of honeybees (Apis mellifera L.) from colonies commercially exploited in an africanized area of the mexican high plateau. Data on honey production, stinging behavior and size of workers from 416 colonies having european or african mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) were analyzed. 

Bees from colonies with african mitotype were significantly less productive, more defensive and smaller than the bees from colonies with european mitotypes (P ‹ 0.01). Results mentioned demonstrate that the introgression of african genes into honeybee populations decreases the size of the bees and their honey production, as well as increasing their defensiveness.

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