You keep focusing on color alone, but I'm not certain that's all that was
the only trait selected for. ... If it is sold as a "Golden Italian" we expect
it to be golden in color and act like an Italian. I don't think anyone
expects it not to be a genetic mix.

I am not focused on color, I am focused on the DNA. The breeder I worked for, who sold "Golden Italian," took me along one time to pick out breeder queens. I was pretty excited to learn "how it's done." Good laying pattern, gold color, that was it. 

Later when I sold queens myself I did the same. Gold color for people that wanted that; Inseminated New World Carniolans for those who wanted that. In any case, the mitochondrial DNA is used to track maternal ancestry, that's all. Not traits. DNA testing for behavioral traits is in the R&D phase. What struck me was that bees could test 90% Carniolan and be golden. 

I had my DNA tested. We always told folks we were Dutch, that Borst is a Dutch name. Turns out my ancestry is two thirds Irish and one fourth "French/German." I already knew that the Borst family came from Germany; my family didn't want to acknowledge that. And I figured there was more English in the tree than anything else, what with Pratt, Young, Loring, Quigley, etc. But Irish? Never knew. 

PLB

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