Research reveals genetic history of bees

From Entomology Today:

In a study published in Nature Genetics, researchers from Uppsala University present the first global analysis of genome variation in honey bees. The findings show a surprisingly high level of genetic diversity in honey bees, and indicate that the species most probably originates from Asia, and not from Africa as previously thought.

“The evolutionary tree we constructed from genome sequences does not support an origin in Africa,” said Matthew Webster, one of the authors. “This gives us new insight into how honey bees spread and became adapted to habitats across the world.”

Another unexpected result was that honey bees seem to be derived from an ancient lineage of cavity-nesting bees that arrived from Asia around 300,000 years ago and rapidly spread across Europe and Africa.

Extensive losses of honey bee colonies in recent years are a major cause for concern. Honey bees face threats from disease, climate change, and management practices. To combat these threats, it is important to understand the evolutionary history of honey bees and how they have adapted to different environments across the world.

To read the full article, visit Entomology Today's website.