Western Honey Bees and Africanized Honey Bees

Lecture Objectives

• Compare and contrast different subspecies of Western honey bees.

• Explain how fine-tuned adaptations to different environments have molded the traits of temperate (Europe) and tropical (African) subspecies.

• Distinguish the making of Africanized honey bees (AHB) by biologists from the creation of a pop insect ("killer" bee) by the media.

• Articulate the reasons why AHB are more successful in the Americas than their Western counterparts.

• Recognize the challenges posed by AHB to beekeepers in the Americas, but also the opportunities they provide.

• Dismiss common popular myths about "killer" bees.

Western Honey Bee (Apis mellifera L.)

Nomenclature

• Common Name: "Western honey bee" (for everyday conversation).

• Scientific Name: Apis mellifera L. (for clear communication between scientists).

• It is scientifically inaccurate to call Apis mellifera L. "the European honey bee" because its original distribution range includes Europe, Africa, and parts of Eurasia and the Middle East.

Origin and Distribution

• The Western honey bee is the most geographically widespread honey bee species.

• Its natural range spans Europe, Eurasia, the Middle East, and Africa.

• Geographical isolation and local adaptation have led to the differentiation of many subspecies.

• Origin Hypothesis: Most likely coming "out of Western Asia" (as suggested by Whitfield et al., 2006a).

• There are approximately $30$ recognized subspecies, though boundaries can be fluid.

• All subspecies are cross-fertile, allowing for interbreeding.

Principal Subspecies of Western Honey Bees

Overview of Selected Subspecies

• Apis mellifera ligustica (Italian bee):

  • Origin: Italy.

  • Color: Golden yellow/brown.

  • Overwintering: Generally well, builds quickly in spring.

  • Other: Most popular honey bee, tends to rob other hives, usually gentle.

• Apis mellifera carnica (Carniolan bee):

  • Origin: Alps, northern Yugoslavia (Slovenia, Austria, Balkans).

  • Color: Dark gray/brown or dusky brown-grey with light brown abdominal stripes.

  • Overwintering: Well, builds quickly in spring, handles long winters well.

  • Other: Usually very gentle, swarms frequently, workers live up to 12 ext{%} longer than other breeds, little drifting from one hive to another.

• Apis mellifera caucasica (Caucasian bee):

  • Origin: Caucasus Mountains (Black & Caspian Seas).

  • Color: Lead-gray.

  • Overwintering: Poorly, builds slowly in spring.

  • Other: Gentle, gums up hives with propolis (tree resins and beeswax).

• Apis mellifera mellifera (German Black bee):

  • Origin: Northern Europe.

  • Color: Brown/black.

  • Overwintering: Well, slow build in spring.

  • Other: Gentle to aggressive, nervous in hive, swarmy.

• Apis mellifera scutellata (East African bee):

  • Origin: Eastern Africa.

  • Color: Golden yellow.

  • Overwintering: Poorly.

  • Other: Smaller nests and swarms more frequently, aggressive.

Comparison of Temperate (Apis mellifera ligustica) and Tropical (Apis mellifera scutellata) Adaptations

The temperate-evolved European (Italian bee) and tropical-evolved African (East African bee) subspecies exhibit striking differences due to their environmental adaptations: