Western Honey Bees

Western Honey Bees

Subject – Environment

Context – Research led by York University has shown that a species of honey ­producing bee called the western honey bee (Apis mellifera) most likely originated in Asia, settling the hotly debated topic for decades

Concept –

• Research led by York University has shown that a species of honey-producing bee called the western honey bee (Apis mellifera) most likely originated in Asia, settling the hotly debated topic for decades.
• Until recently, it was believed that these bees had originated in Africa.
• The study (Science Advances) found that the western honey bees expanded independently from Asia into Africa and Europe creating seven separate geographically and genetically distinct evolutionary lineages traceable back to Western Asia.
• The western honey bee is used for crop pollination and honey production throughout most of the world, and has a remarkable capacity for surviving in vastly different environments – from tropical rainforest, to arid environments, to temperate regions with cold winters. It is native to Africa, Europe and Asia.