>
> >This is an example of misapplication of terminology. The loss of a
> species in an isolated location is not extinction. Extinction refers to "a
> species, family, or other larger group having no living members."
>

Thanks for the correction, Pete.  I considered using the proper term, but
didn't.  I should perhaps have used the phrase "extirpation of a population
of honey bees."  The point, however, was not invalidated by improper
terminology.  Does anyone know of other instances in which varroa has
extirpated a population of bees in a geographical area?

If not, then that certainly implies that the honey bee, left unmanaged,
generally possesses the ability to rapidly evolve some sort of resistance
to extirpation by varroa.

>
> >I am not sure this is supported by the genomic work. The mDNA is useful
> for tracking matrilines but not much else. The populations may be surviving
> "despite" the presence of managed hives, or because of it.


This is a key point.  Mitotyping is a record of unbroken matrilines.  If
matrilines in feral populations are completely extirpated, and then
replaced by descendants from managed colonies, this would be evident in the
matrilines.  Since there are far more matrilines in today's feral
population than in the managed population, (to me) this very strongly
suggests that the ferals are existing *despite* the managed population.

One could reasonably assume (and also potentially be in error) that the
diverse feral population likely already possessed enough nuclear DNA
diversity that it would not benefit from the limited diversity of the
managed population (I'm aware that the allelic diversity of the managed
population exceeds that of any original race of bees in their homeland).
If this is so, then I find it unlikely that the managed bees are
evolutionarily benefiting the feral population(s).

-- 
Randy Oliver
Grass Valley, CA
www.ScientificBeekeeping.com

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