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Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology

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From:
randy oliver <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Mon, 9 Nov 2009 08:38:55 -0800
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>Regarding epigenetic effects and the inheritance of African behavioral
characteristics, that's a bit of a red herring, now isn't it Randy?

Hardly.  AFB and EHB have the same genes, only different alleles of those
genes.  The expression of those alleles into behavior is entirely controlled
by epigenetics.  One could take a gentle EHB, and by changing epigenetic
expression, make it as hot as an AHB.

The point is, that the science isn't yet to the point to know whether
genetic testing can begin to explain the behavior of the bees.  It may well
be more controlled by epigenetics.

Let me state to the List that I have only one experience in AHB's (other
than from queens that I've bought from Texas that were hotter'n
firecrackers).

From reports, it seems that the first wave of AHB are pretty hot.  It could
well be that high swarming behavior and defensiveness are linked, so that
the leading edge of Africanization is populated by the hottest bees.  Once
the AHB becomes established, then beekeepers can select for gentleness, as
Bob says.

The big question is, whether the defensiveness is linked to swarming in
response to rain, and to winter survival ability.  There are major
behavioral traits that preclude AHB from becoming established in wet- or
long-winter areas.  Question is, will natural selection move the AHB
defensiveness into the EHB population?

As I stated before, defensiveness (and swarming) come at a cost.  If the
cost is great enough, the EHB will outcompete the AHB in areas that the
benefit of defensiveness and swarming do not outweigh the costs.

Randy Oliver

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