PHENETIC DIVERSITY OF THE HONEY BEE POPULATION (APIS MELLIFERA) IN THE TORATAU GEOPARK OF THE REPUBLIC OF BASHKORTOSTAN

Abstract

Phenetic analysis of honey bee population of the Toratau Geopark (Russia) was performed. Over than 1000 worker and 1000 drone bee samples were collected from 250 colonies in 59 apiaries on the territory of the Toratau Geopark (Gafuriysky, Ishimbaysky, Meleuzovsky, and Sterlitamaksky districts of the Republic of Bashkortostan). Six phenes in worker bees and four phenes in drone bees were recognized. The worker bee phenes E, 1R, 2R, 3R, and drone bee phenes Is, II, O-gray, which characterize the C-lineage honey bee subspecies, were predominant in honey bee population of the Toratau Geopark. This is probably an indicator of introgressive hybridization of local Dark European honey bees with introduced honey bee subspecies from C-lineage. The worker and drone bee phenes can be used as tools for quick preliminary evaluation of certain honey bee colonies for further selection.