http://www.ibra.org.uk/articles/Press-Release-Honey-bee-genotypes-and-the-environment

In recent years, much attention has been focused on the global problem of
honey bee colony losses. Among the many explanations for these losses,
variability in the genetic makeup and vitality of honey bee populations
might help to explain some of the variability in honey bee colony losses
experienced in different regions. This has led to the innovative honey bee
Genotype-Environment Interactions (GEI) experiment carried out by members
of the international honey bee research association COLOSS. The results are
published today in a Special Issue of the *Journal of Apicultural Research*.

A total of 621 colonies of 16 different genetic origins were set up in 21
apiaries in 11 different European countries managed by 15 research
partners. Each location housed the local strain of bee together with two of
"foreign" origins. The colonies were set up in the summer of 2009 and were
managed and evaluated according to a standard protocol used by all
participants until 2012.

IBRA Science Director Norman Carreck says: *"The results of these
experiments show that the locally adapted strains of honey bee consistently
performed better than the "foreign" strains. This may seem logical to many
bee scientists, but may come as something as a shock for many beekeepers
who believe that purchased queens are likely to be in some way "better"
than the bees that they already have in their own hives. There is growing
evidence of the adverse effects of the global trade in honey bees, which
has led to the spread of novel pests and diseases. These papers which
provide evidence that locally-adapted honey bee strains consistently
perform better than imported strains may thus strengthen local bee breeding
programmes, and encourage the use of locally bred queens over those
imported from elsewhere".*


1. Papers in the Special Issue of the Journal of Apicultural Research can
be viewed at:-
http://www.ibra.org.uk/articles/JAR-53-2-2014

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