Summary
Introduction
The importance of bees in agriculture cannot be understated. Their vital role in pollination is one of the reasons why they are considered crucial in crop farming. The bees that are responsible for most of the works of pollination in USA are non-natives to North America. The commercialization of bee keeping has relied on the propagation of bee populations through the sale of queen bees. Each queen mother yields about 1000 queen daughters making the rate of proliferation of the bees very high. However, the sizes of the bee populations have declined significantly due to the effect of honeybee mites that are parasitic (Evans & Lopez, 862).
This was counteracted through the output of queen bees’ production. However, the development of resistance of the bees to parasitic mites would aid to ensure the populations increase or are sustained. Genetic modification of the traits of the bees can help to improve the resistance to common bee diseases and mites that are parasitic. However, in as early as the 1980’s the technology that was available could not offer such genetic modifications. With the significant changes that have occurred, currently there is technology to carry out such advancements (Oldroyd, 412).
The control of these mites has become cumbersome because they have developed resistance to the chemicals that are supposed to kill them. Antibiotics and miticides are used to mitigate the effect of diseases and mites such as V. destructor. The selection of specific apical traits among bees is carried out in some public and private research institutions. The strains of bees from such institutions are highly productive, disease and pest resistant. Another trait that very important and is considered in the rearing of bees is temperament. Native American bees are non-temperamental. This makes the rearing of these bees easier and safer as compared to African bees that are more temperamental. However, the native bees in America are not able to resist diseases. This makes the losses from rearing such bees very high. Interbreeding these native breeds with stronger ones will make them stronger. This will reduce the input expenses on chemicals for treatment and pest control.
However, any strain of bees that are imported into the United States ought to be thoroughly checked for pathogens and viruses such as CCD. The population of bees in United States predominantly consists of two strains of bees. Due to the losses and shortfalls that came from the rearing of native and homegrown bees, the United States permitted for importation of strains of bees from Australia. This would increase the range of diversity in genetics of the bees. This strain would be resistant to pathogens, especially mites, while maintaining the Caucasian gene. The imported strains are also believed to be very effective in pollination of crops, such as wild pears and apples. However, no specific protocol and control of importation of bees exists to facilitate quarantine services (Danka and Villa, 501).
Conclusion
The health of colonies of bees in United States can experience improvement thee phenotype through genetic modification. Adequate screening against diseases can help determine if the new strains are stronger than the native ones. The breeding of queen bees with strains that are native ought to be controlled to ensure maintenance of genetic diversity. This bee keeping industry is bound to experience radial changes, especially creation of breeding lines that are desirable hence making the industry productive and prolific.
Works Cited
Danka, R. G. and J. D. Villa. 2000. A survey of tracheal mite resistance levels in U.S.
commercial queen breeder colonies. American Bee Journal 140: 405-407. Print
Oldroyd, B. P. 2007. What's killing American honey bees? PLOS Biology, 5: 1195-1199. Print
Evans, J. D. and D. L. Lopez. 2004. Bacterial probiotics induce an immune response in the
honey bee (Hymenoptera: Apidae). J. Econ. Entomol. 97: 752-756. Print
