Evidence of continued European morphometrics and mtDNA in feral colonies of honey bees (Apis mellifera) from the Yucatán peninsula, Mexico

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Abstract
SUMMARY Sixty-five samples of honey bee (Apis mellifera) workers from feral colonies across the Yucatán peninsula, Mexico, were analysed for morphometrics and mtDNA using polymerase chain reaction. Diverse associations between morphotypes and mitotypes were found across the sampled area. Although the feral population now comprises mainly (54%) pure African colonies showing no evidence of European introgression, there is a frequency of European mitotypes in feral colonies (20%). The high frequencies of continued European markers in the feral population of honey bees from the Yucatán could be explained by the population size of resident European honey bees. Further monitoring is necessary to document the persistence of such markers in the feral population and to determine whether there will be a complete replacement of European honey bees by Africanized ones.