Over two decades since the first arrival of Africanized Honey Bees in the United
States in the 1990s, there were no reports of significant effects upon the honey
production and investment behavior of beekeepers in the United States [92].
In terms of pollination activity, competition for nectar and pollen resources
among Africanized honey bees, wild bees, and European bees is expected. However,
Africanized honey bees have shown good work ethic by working earlier, longer, and
even under undesirable conditions of a desert or rainforest. At least in Mexico, it is
believed that these hybridized bees helped the coffee plant to flourish [91].
Despite negative traits that make management difficult, Africanized honey bees
have significant advantages over their European counterparts as well. Africanized
bees have shown higher resistance to parasites such as Varroa mites and certain
diseases, reducing or negating the need for chemical treatments such as
antibiotics [93].
Africanized honey bees produce and use more propolis than European honey
bees. Honey bees collect saps and resins from trees and mix with self-produced wax
to make propolis, which has various antibiotic properties. Bees use propolis to seal
cracks, close potential entries to the hive, to embalm dead intruders too large to
easily remove, and, most importantly, to prevent diseases and parasites from invading the hive [32, 94]. In fact, Africanized honey bee lines bred for high propolis
production were found to have superior hygienic behavior as well as increased honey
and pollen storage [95].
Beekeepers in areas affected by significant Africanized bee populations such as
Brazil and Mexico have since adapted their management practices and now prefer
Africanized honey bees due to their greater hardiness and adaptation to those tropical
and subtropical climates, as opposed to the European honey bee [96].
Thus, it is possible to selectively breed Africanized honey bee colonies for
preferred traits, such as increased propolis usage, mite resistance, honey production,
and so forth. This does not mean that the increased aggressiveness must be accepted
in managing hybridized stock, however. In fact, selective breeding of Africanized
honey bees has been shown to reduce aggressiveness after only a few generations
[97, 98].
Feral honey bee populations cannot be controlled this way, of course, but for the
purposes of apiculture and its relation with agriculture, selective breeding of Africanized stock in appropriate climate zones may prove to be beneficial for a variety of
reasons.
5.1.3 Russian Bees
The Russian honey bee is actually derived from European honey bees that originated
in the Primorsky Krai region of Russia. This bee strain was imported into the United
States in 1997 in response to parasitic Varroa mite infestations during overwintering
periods that would precipitate colony collapse.
The USDA bee lab in Baton Rouge compared Russian colonies to domestically
raised European bee lines and found that Russian bees are resistant to three of the
34
C. Li
States in the 1990s, there were no reports of significant effects upon the honey
production and investment behavior of beekeepers in the United States [92].
In terms of pollination activity, competition for nectar and pollen resources
among Africanized honey bees, wild bees, and European bees is expected. However,
Africanized honey bees have shown good work ethic by working earlier, longer, and
even under undesirable conditions of a desert or rainforest. At least in Mexico, it is
believed that these hybridized bees helped the coffee plant to flourish [91].
Despite negative traits that make management difficult, Africanized honey bees
have significant advantages over their European counterparts as well. Africanized
bees have shown higher resistance to parasites such as Varroa mites and certain
diseases, reducing or negating the need for chemical treatments such as
antibiotics [93].
Africanized honey bees produce and use more propolis than European honey
bees. Honey bees collect saps and resins from trees and mix with self-produced wax
to make propolis, which has various antibiotic properties. Bees use propolis to seal
cracks, close potential entries to the hive, to embalm dead intruders too large to
easily remove, and, most importantly, to prevent diseases and parasites from invading the hive [32, 94]. In fact, Africanized honey bee lines bred for high propolis
production were found to have superior hygienic behavior as well as increased honey
and pollen storage [95].
Beekeepers in areas affected by significant Africanized bee populations such as
Brazil and Mexico have since adapted their management practices and now prefer
Africanized honey bees due to their greater hardiness and adaptation to those tropical
and subtropical climates, as opposed to the European honey bee [96].
Thus, it is possible to selectively breed Africanized honey bee colonies for
preferred traits, such as increased propolis usage, mite resistance, honey production,
and so forth. This does not mean that the increased aggressiveness must be accepted
in managing hybridized stock, however. In fact, selective breeding of Africanized
honey bees has been shown to reduce aggressiveness after only a few generations
[97, 98].
Feral honey bee populations cannot be controlled this way, of course, but for the
purposes of apiculture and its relation with agriculture, selective breeding of Africanized stock in appropriate climate zones may prove to be beneficial for a variety of
reasons.
5.1.3 Russian Bees
The Russian honey bee is actually derived from European honey bees that originated
in the Primorsky Krai region of Russia. This bee strain was imported into the United
States in 1997 in response to parasitic Varroa mite infestations during overwintering
periods that would precipitate colony collapse.
The USDA bee lab in Baton Rouge compared Russian colonies to domestically
raised European bee lines and found that Russian bees are resistant to three of the
34
C. Li