The search of low levels of Africanization in honey bees (Apis mellifera) in the United States

The introduction of Apis mellifera scutellata Lepeletier permanently affected the genetic landscape of honey bee populations in the Americas. Previously, the degree of African genetic introgression has been tested using mitochondrial and morphometric analyses. These diagnostic tools are limited when used on populations with low or intermediate levels of Africanization or Africanized populations occurring at the edge of their optimal range. Also, these tests do not discriminate paternal genetic contributions. This study utilized microsatellite sequencing technology with African specific nuclear markers for determining the paternal contribution of Africanized genes. Unmanaged colonies were collected along a transect running from New York to Florida. Honey bee samples were analyzed using the standard morphometric and mitochondrial analyses and compared to microsatellite analysis. Results were used to determine the introgression of Africanized alleles from both maternal and paternal sources in unmanaged honey bee populations along a north-south transect on the eastern coast of the United States.