The effect of africanization on honey production, defensive behavior and size of honeybees (Apis mellifera L.) in the mexican high plateau

THIS STUDY WAS CONDUCTED TO DETERMINE THE EFFECT OF AFRICAN GENES ON THE PRODUCTION OF HONEY, STINGING BEHAVIOR AND SIZE OF HONEYBEES (APIS MELLIFERA L.) FROM COLONIES COMMERCIALLY EXPLOITED IN AN AFRICANIZED AREA OF THE MEXICAN HIGH PLATEAU. DATA ON HONEY PRODUCTION, STINGING BEHAVIOR AND SIZE OF WORKERS FROM 416 COLONIES HAVING EUROPEAN OR AFRICAN MITOCHONDRIAL DNA (MTDNA) WERE ANALYZED. BEES FROM COLONIES WITH AFRICAN MITOTYPE WERE SIGNIFICANTLY LESS PRODUCTIVE, MORE DEFENSIVE AND SMALLER THAN THE BEES FROM COLONIES WITH EUROPEAN MITOTYPES (P < 0.01). THE HONEY YIELD PER COLONY WAS 23.5, 31.5 AND 31.8 KG, FOR BEES WITH AFRICAN, WESTERN EUROPEAN AND EASTERN EUROPEAN MITOTYPE, RESPECTIVELY. THE NUMBER OF STINGS PER COLONY WAS 101.7, 56.9 AND