BEE-L Archives

Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology

BEE-L@COMMUNITY.LSOFT.COM

Options: Use Monospaced Font
Show Text Part by Default
Show All Mail Headers

Message: [<< First] [< Prev] [Next >] [Last >>]
Topic: [<< First] [< Prev] [Next >] [Last >>]
Author: [<< First] [< Prev] [Next >] [Last >>]

Print Reply
Subject:
From:
Reply To:
Discussion of Bee Biology <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Thu, 14 Aug 1997 18:28:20 GMT+0200
Content-Type:
text/plain
Parts/Attachments:
text/plain (53 lines)
Hi All
 
I saw a few posts about the AHB problem.
 
Firstly, a reasonable amount of genetic evidence is cropping up to
show that the AHB's reaching and entering the US are probably not
crossed with the Euro Bees already there. The Mitochondrial DNA
analysis of Africanized bees shows that the bees had africanized
mitochondrial DNA. This DNA only passes in the female line, therefore
the whole beware of african drones thing is a myth.
 
My bets are as follows:
 
African bees are superior foragers and defenders and move about twice
as fast as euro bees. They are more evolved because they have more
generations per year.
 
So, should an african hive swarm, it will scout about early in the
morning, after spending a night in a tree, and find a nice space full
of honey with no major defence up. This would be a weak euro hive.
Then it will invade the hive by swarming in and take out the queen
quite easily. (I have seen a strong swarm invade one of my own weak
african hives. A strong swarm can fly early when it is cold and a
weak swarm will be so cold it is no good at defence.)
 
Secondly the business about an african queen hatching first is a bit
unlikely as well. For the queen to be african it would imply that the
queen laying the egg was african (given that the mitochondrial
incompatibility probably rules out an african father euro mother
story). Hence all the queens will hatch at the same time.
 
My two cents.
 
Six swarms stronger today. Two arrived at my house, and another four
easy ones from my area!!
 
Keep well
 
Garth
 
 
 
 
---
Garth Cambray       "Opinions expressed in this post may be those
15 Park Road         of Pritz, my cat, who knows a lot about
Grahamstown          catfood."
6140                       *[log in to unmask]*
South Africa               Phone 27-0461-311663
 
In general, generalisations are bad.
But don't worry BEEEEEE happy.

ATOM RSS1 RSS2