Apis mellifera cypria

Behaviour

A. m. cypria has been reported to be a less swarmy bee when compared to other European honey bees.

In a 2008 study, the growth rate of colonies was observed to be lowest during the hottest month, while the most growth occurred during a month with temperature closer to the yearly average (or slightly above).

Defense

Papachristoforou et al found that in the presence of the predatory oriental hornet (Vespa orientalis) the bees initially generate an acoustic response, and if the encounter escalates, they kill the invader by asphyxiation.

Taxonomy

A separate subspecies from the other two Greek bee subspecies, A. m. macedonica and A. m. cecropia. DNA analysis found its mtDNA is more closely related to A.m. anatoliaca and A. m. meda and belongs to the O Lineage (Oriental branch) of Apis mellifera.

References

References

1. "Morphometric, allozymic, and mtDNA variation in honeybee (Apis mellifera cypria, Pollman 1879) populations in northern Cyprus". Apimondia.
2. "Honey bee sub-species".
3. Παπαχριστοφόρου, Α.. (2008). "Defensive behaviour of the Cyprian honeybee ''Apis mellifera cypria'' against the oriental hornet ''Vespa orientalis''".
4. (2008). "High frequency sounds produced by Cyprian honeybees ''Apis mellifera cypria'' when confronting their predator, the Oriental hornet ''Vespa orientalis''". Apidologie.
5. (2007). "Smothered to death: Hornets asphyxiated by honeybees". Current Biology.
6. (2005). "Allozyme Variability and Phylogenetic Relationships in Honey Bee (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Apis mellifera) Populations from Greece and Cyprus". Biochemical Genetics.
7. (2006). "Genetic characterization of honey bee (Apis mellifera cypria) populations in northern Cyprus". Apidologie.