In the early 1800s, all the bees in America were black bees imported from Europe. By the 1850s had already been here at least 100 years, so could conceivably be locally adapted. In the 1860s Italian bees were brought in and most beekeepers tried to replace the "natives" with the new breed. L. C. Root wrote, in 1888:

> We bred Italians largely for the trade, for which purpose we had stock that equalled any in America. We also operated for honey, each season, from 200 to 400 colonies comprised of both natives and Italians, as well as hybrids of all grades. If there are any tests to which we did not repeatedly subject them, I am unable to imagine what they may be.

> Finally, after candid comparison of the two varieties, I must say that we have obtained the most satisfactory results by keeping both. And this seems to me sufficient proof that neither race monopolizes all the best qualities. It is unquestionable that their relative value will vary in different localities.

This snippet seems to reinforce the idea that honey bees are amenable to different climate zones, and casts doubt on the process of acclimation over time, even a hundred years. 

source:
Root, L.C. (1888). QUINBY'S New Bee-Keeping. The Mysteries of Bee.Keeping Explained. COMBINING THE RESULTS OF FIFTY YEARS' EXPERIENCE, WITH THE LATEST DISCOVERIES AND INVENTIONS, AND PRESENTING THE MOST APPROVED METHODS, FORMING A COMPLETE GUIDE TO SUCCESSFUL BEE-CULTURE.

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