Description

AHB: Africanized Honey Bee

The western honey bee, Apis mellifera, is native to Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. There are several subspecies of A. mellifera, which are further grouped into several distinct lineages M, C, O, Y, and A. The origin of these lineages is still unresolved, but an African subspecies, (A. m. scutellata) have crossed with European honey bee lineages in North America. The resulting crosses have created Africanized honey bee (AHB) colonies that are known for their increased defensive (aggressive) behavior and lower honey yield compared to pure European Honey Bees. AHB colonies are mal-adapted for the northern temperate climates and do not to naturally colonize above 32°N latitude. If beekeepers are unaware of Africanized ancestry in their operation, this could explain declines in colony strength and appearance of stressed colonies, resulting in lower yields of honey.

Feral AHB colonies are a larger problem in southern states, but it is still possible for North Dakota beekeepers across the spectrum (commercial to hobbyists) to unintentionally acquire AHBs through purchasing of starter colonies (i.e., nucs) and queens from southern suppliers. The National Agricultural Genotyping Center (NAGC) proposes to validate a practical mitotyping test to identify one of the common genetic markers associated with AHBs. This additional test will be integrated into the workflow and testing service already in place at NAGC for the comprehensive honey bee pathogen panel.

The mitotyping assay detects single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) found within the mitochondrial genome. The mitochondrial genome is inherited via the ova, so mitotyping provides clues to Africanized ancestry within the maternal or queen lineage. Furthermore, within a queen’s colony, both drones (males) and workers (females) related to the queen share her mitotype. In contrast, paternal ancestry cannot be determined with this test. Thus, it is important to explain the limitations of the mitotype screening, particularly that the test that cannot detect Africanized ancestry if it was introduced through the paternal lineage of a colony. Paternal lineages can be determined through the nuclear genome but requires a minimum of hundreds of genetic markers.

This project was funded by the North Dakota Department of Agriculture through the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program.