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Grooming Behaviour in Apis Mellifera races
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Apis Cerana exhibits marked grooming and removal of
parasitic mites (notably varroa). various suggestions about
transplanting such a trait, by genetic therapy, have been made, but
little is known about the grooming behaviour of mellifera types of
bee because it does not seem to occur to a strong degree.
This page has been placed here so that I may record such
fragments of information, on this subject, that come my way.
Rather than the drastic genetic intervention envisaged by
some, I see no reason for not selecting positively for any grooming
that is observed in future, other than that nature has not seen fit
to do this selecting in the past. Such indifference by natural
selection forces, may be a manifestation of the 'newness' of varroa
destructor rather than indifference.
There may well be some linkage with the
mite damaging behavior that
is being studied, and bred for, by John Dews.
Written... 07 December 2001, Revised... 11 December 2001
Revised... 09 Aug 2002
