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Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology

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From:
Peter Edwards <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Fri, 19 Sep 2014 17:19:53 +0100
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>First, are these premises accepted?:  that part of the bee's strategy is to be generalist vs. specialist..

You might have to start by defining what you mean by the two terms.  I would suggest that there can be little doubt that bees are specialist in many ways - by feeding from flowers, manufacturing honey for winter survival, making a nest from wax, having complex communication systems etc.  But they are also generalist in that they are able to take advantage of many types of flowers.
I do not see that they can be classified into one of the categories exclusively.

>that this is accomplished in part via outbreeding and polyandry,  and that overall vigor is related to the queen mating with at least a minimum number of drones... 

Yes, but all this would happen naturally within a fairly discrete region - until man comes along and introduces other races.

>If accepted, then is it possible that increased hybridization and the resulting genetic diversity from it is contributing to the observation of feral populations who appear to be developing natural resistance?  And...

Our constant meddling suggests to me that we are more likely to hinder than assist.  We do not want to  end up with just one 'race' of bee, no matter how wonderful it might seem to be for a while.  Our distinct races of bees are, in my view, the equivalent of the excellent plant seed banks around the world; we should strive to preserve them.

Best wishes

Peter 
52°14'44.44"N, 1°50'35"W
(thinking Cavendish bananas)

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