16andBee | Coming Soon!

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The Frontier In Honey Bee Genetics

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What is 16andBee?

Citizen Science In Action

16andBee is a citizen scientist initiative. This project was created and is managed by research scientists. Our goal is to help beekeepers document colony traits and to establish a map of the honey bee genome as it interacts with the environment. This project will help beekeepers access, understand and benefit from the honey bee genome.

How does 16andBee work?

First – let’s start with some basic bee genetics. Drones, male bees, have 16 chromosomes and they all come from the queen. Drones are haploid – they are the result of an unfertilized egg. This process in nature is known as parthenogenesis, reproduction from unfertilized eggs. As haploids, drones produce clones. Genetic diversity is essential for honey bee survival, and this is why the queen mates in mid air with an average of 12 drones! By analyzing the DNA from the drones, we can infer the genetics of the queen.

Beekeepers across the USA are invited to join this program!

By joining 16andBee, beekeepers will provide some basic information about their colony & samples of drones. We will analyze the DNA to discover important genes that promote disease resistance and to reveal colony ancestry.

Chromosomes

3500

Control Colonies

4500

Participant Colonies

Survival measures - like honey yield, swarming tendency, parasite resistance, and defensive behavior - must be measured at the colony level.
The practical importance of the honey bee for sustaining life on Earth cannot be understated.
Invertebrates are declining world wide.
Each bee exhibits unique genetically determined variations in morphology, physiology and behavior.
The European honey bee, Apis mellifera, is not native to North America. The population is made up of mixtures of several introduced subspecies, shaped by selection for adaptations in their new environments.