There are honey bees that are better able to cope with environmental stressors, because they survive and thrive without continuous human support. We keep and study such bees that are better able to deal with hot temperatures, defend themselves against Varroa mites or kill fungal Nosema spores with high efficiency. An understanding of the molecular and genetic basis that allow these honey bees to be more healthy and more successful offers the possibilities to breed honey bee stock with increased tolerance. To achieve this we combine the genetic studies into bee health with artificial insemination, which allows us to conserve and propagate honey bees with desirable traits.
