J. Waggle wrote:
>Drones & DCA�s - �the nearer the better!�
>http://www.springerlink.com/content/k4503054483137v5/

Following this link, you will find that in order to read the paper, you must
pony up 32 bucks. However, my access to the University library permits me to
read journal articles. In this one they say

> The drone’s strategy to choose the nearer DCA would lead to a genetic
over-representation of nearby colonies and increase genetic differences
among the DCA’s within the region. In the context of this “drone clumping”
*the choice of virgin queens among DCA’s seems to be of great significance*. <

Basically, this proves drones are lazy, which we already knew. It is
therefore up to the queen to seek out drones of non-local type by flying
farther away. Nature has evolved this system to prevent inbreeding and
excessively localized populations. This is why serious breeders set up
mating yards in extreme isolation. And why it took a very long time for
honey bees to develop racial types such as the carnica, ligustica, etc.
These do not occur in isolated pockets but over large geographical areas. I
really don't think you will see very much difference in bees "over on the
next ridge".

By the way, somebody recently asked if the aggressive behavior of African
bees (scuts) was genetic. The African bee comes with a whole distinct set of
genetically coded characteristics, these are all heritable as shown by its
sweep across the Americas. It is smaller, has a shorter development time, is
generally more aggressive, more apt to swarm and abscond. These and other
factors contribute to its dominance in whatever area it enters. The drones
may fly faster but I seriously doubt it is because they are smaller. These
bees are just more vigorous overall than the European types. Unfortunately,
they don't hoard as much honey, and they don't like beekeepers.

pb

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