SUMMARYIn the Americas, almost all colonies of Africanized and European honey bees that are building their own comb can be identified in the field, by measuring the distance spanned by 10 worker cells. Discriminant analysis of worker bee morphometric characteristics can be used to identify bees which are not producing their own comb. The simplest analysis uses measurements of fore-wing length and correctly identified 86 % (P > 0.90) of 86 Africanized and 50 European colonies, with no misidentifications. A multivariate analysis of fore-wing length, partial hind-wing length, femur length and « clean weight », correctly identified 91 % (P > 0.90) of these samples, with no misidentifications. The formulae, constants and procedures for these analyses arc provided.
Of 12 alarm pheromones assayed in European and Africanized honeybees, nine were found in larger quantities in the Africanized population. Isopentyl and 2-heptanone levels were similar in both; 2-methylbutanol-1 was greater in European workers. These differences were not due to age or geographical location. Significant positive correlations between alarm pheromone levels and defensive behavior, especially numbers of stings, were observed.
SUMMARYAfricanized drones weigh significantly less than European drones and produce significantly fewer spermatozoa. The weights of the seminal vesicles and the mucus glands of Africanized drones are similar to those of European drones.
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