Delaney, et al analyzed the genetic makeup of US commercial stocks using mitochondrial DNA markers which indicate the so-called races. In the following we can see that C1 and C2 re (57%)present most of the genetic background, and are almost half and half. C1 is "Italian", C2 is "Carniolan". I hope the numbers are readable; if not the data show that in the western US, Carniolan mtDNA is predominant (57%), whereas in the east Italian predominates (57%), but the proportions are quite similar (57 vs 40+) and far outweigh any other strains, including A. m. mellifera and African background (97-99% C lineage)


Eastern US
Mitotype 	1993		2005

C1 		0.445 	0.568
C2 		0.471 	0.393
C3 		0.026 	0.00
M3 		0.00 		0.009
M4' 		0.013 	0.00
M7 		0.019 	0.009
M7' 		0.026 	0.009
A1 		0.00 		0.015

Western US
Mitotype 	1994		2004

C1 		0.386 	0.425
C2 		0.517 	0.574
C3 		0.063 	0
M3 		0.028 	0.011

Discussion

The presence of the M3 mtDNA haplotype typically
found in western Europe and common in A. m.
mellifera shows that genetic remnants from early introductions
still remained in the WCBP in 1994 and
the SCBP of 2005. However, the M3 haplotype frequency
continued to decline as fewer queen breeders
selected queen mothers from local stocks in 2004-
2005, compared with 1993-1994.

The A1 haplotype (a haplotype associated with Africanized
bees) pattern found in the SCBP signifies
the presence of the African mitochondrial lineage in
U.S. honey bee populations.

Genetic Characterization of Commercial Honey Bee (Hymenoptera: Apidae) Populations in the United States by Using Mitochondrial and Microsatellite Markers
D. A. DELANEY, M. D. MEIXNER, N. M. SCHIFF, AND W. S. SHEPPARD. Ann. Entomol. Soc. Am. 102(4): 666Ð673 (2009)
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