Morphometrical control of pure race breeding in the honeybee (Apis mellifera L)

Abstract - The comparative analysis of 112 honeybee samples from Brandenburg and seven samples of an A m carnica-breeding line from Hessen with the pure races A m mellifera and A m carnica revealed that the two German provenances are located in the proximity of the pure race A m carnica, but drift apart in the same direction. There are no signs of a still existing influence of A m mellifera-genes. The morphometrical control of pure race breeding turned out to be useful. The 'land bee' was at least in the studied places of Brandenburg and Hessen pushed away. For a total conformity with the pure race it would be necessary to control additional characteristics. The analysis of 6 samples of the time of Zander showed that this bee was really a hybrid between A m carnica and A m mellifera.