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Discussion of Bee Biology <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Wed, 14 Jan 1998 17:56:09 GMT+0200
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Hi Carlos
 
Some of the things you mentioned about african bees were interesting
but clashed with some things I have heard.
 
I think it is accepted that bees actually originated somewhere in the
middle of a desert below Afghanistan. At that time there was not a
desert there. over time it became a desert, and the two cavity
nesting bees seperated (so now we have A.cerana and A.mellifera)
 
These A.mellifera ancestors spread in three directions. ONe over into
central europe (C group), one into the meditteranea (M group) and one
into Africa (A group).
 
In africa bees flourished more than anywhere else in the world.
Central africa has hive densisties (wild hives) of over 500 per
square kilometer in the congo acording to Ruttner. Here bees were
able to swarm regularily, and evolve faster as they had more
generations. Bees that were useless died or were rapidly outcompeted.
Thats why an african beehive gives you more kilometers of flight per
litre of honey. They cannot afford to waste honey.
 
Much of africa is Savannah. This is horrible land. It is a sporadic
desert. It rains lots, and then it is dry and very very hot for long
periods of time. So african bees have to sit and cool their hive for
a long time with no fixed honey income. In europe all bees have to do
is warm a head sized ball of bees. In africa the bees have to haul
litres of water to cool their queen so she does not drop her sperm
count. Then when it rains they must be able to rapidly build up to
use the quick honey flow. The queens are therefore more productive,
laying up to 2000 to 3000 eggs per day (one book I have read suggest
up to 4000). These bees quickly build up a huge store. This honey
represents energy for cooling among other things.
 
So I would say that the ability to store is as much an african
bee trait as it is a european bee trait.
 
On the gene flow thing, I think there is considerable evidence as
well to show that for a long period the aggressively reproductive
african traits have been diffusing into the A.m.iberica and other
mediterranean races. eg the productive italian bees. This flow is
more favourably in the direction of europe. Euro bees introduced in
most of africa fizzle out in under a year leaving little genetic
mark.
 
Also, the orignal african bees imported to Brazil were from Pretoria,
South Africa. Here daytime temperatures can be below 10 deg C. The
bees will sometimes even fly in this temp. (I know as I have seen
bees doing this in mid winter and coming back with pollen on the
Pretoria Univ Campus) They also tolerate frost, snow and a number of
other cold phenomena. But not for prolonged periods.
 
Keep well
 
Garth
 
---
Garth Cambray       Camdini Apiaries
15 Park Road        Apis melifera capensis
Grahamstown         800mm annual precipitation
6139
Eastern Cape
South Africa               Phone 27-0461-311663
 
On holiday for a few months     Rhodes University
Which means: working with bees 15 hours a day!
Interests: Fliis and bees
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this post in no way
reflect those of Rhodes University.

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