>I have an Italian bees in one hive. When I checked this hive
>recently, a few of the bees has a black body with the head being
>Italian, and a few bees have a black head and regular colored body. I
>have never seen this before. What gives?
 
The body color of the bees is controlled by the action of two independent genic
systems. The genic systems are a, Major factor genes of Black affected or modified by minor genes (polygenes). Having said that keep in mind that most "Italian" bees in the USA are blends of several races of bees that have been in this country for many years that have been selected and bred to perform as Italians.
 
 It would appear from your comments, that the stock of Italian bees, that you have is showing some genetic diversity in color. This diversity could be due to many factors both within the strain or from out side of the strain. An out side influnce could be from the drone source (a mating with one dark type drone or drone of another race).
 
It is hard to comment on the two toned bee you speak of with out seeing it, but for general discussion. There was a two toned bee decribed as yellow face. It was decribed in the book Bee Genetics and Breeding. It is a genetic mutant along the lines of the cordavans. It is the partial replacement of the black cutical color on the head of the bee with yellow. I myself have never seen one. For more information try and secure a copy of Bee Genetics and breeding and look in the chapter about Visible Mutants.
 
I hope this helps
 
Dean M. Breaux
Hybri-Bees Inc.