Thrice out of Asia and the adaptive radiation of the western honey bee
https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.abj2151#.Yapv-yShZns

Abstract
The origin of the western honey bee *Apis mellifera* has been intensely
debated. Addressing this knowledge gap is essential for understanding the
evolution and genetics of one of the world’s most important pollinators. By
analyzing 251 genomes from 18 native subspecies, we found support for an
Asian origin of honey bees with at least three expansions leading to
African and European lineages. The adaptive radiation of honey bees
involved selection on a few genomic “hotspots.” We found 145 genes with
independent signatures of selection across all bee lineages, and these
genes were highly associated with worker traits. Our results indicate that
a core set of genes associated with worker and colony traits facilitated
the adaptive radiation of honey bees across their vast distribution.

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