Comparison of Honey Bees (Apis Mellifera L., 1758) of Trace And Yigilca Region by Using Morphometric Methods

The aim of the present study was to investigate and compare the honey bee biodiversity of Thrace and Yigilca provinces by applying geometric morphometric methods. Totally 2641 worker honeybees were collected from 95 colonies in 19 different apiaries. The wing shape morphology of honey bee population of Turkey was examined by geometric morphometric analysis using the coordinates of 19 landmarks located at vein intersections of the right wing. After obtaining the wings images, the vein junctions were detected automatically. Discriminant Function Analysis (DFA) and Univariate analysis of Variance (ANOVA) were performed on the data obtained from the colony averages by SPSS.15 package program. Tekirdag, Kirklareli and Yigilca honey bee populations compared to the 19 landmark which determined on the right front wing, while the characters A4, B4 and AREA6 are very important to distinguishing the populations, The characters B3, G7, J10, K19, L13, Q21 and CI are not important to revel the differences between groups (P <0.005). Acoording to cross validation test of the colonies from Yigilca, Kirklareli and Tekirdag, honeybee colonies were correctly classified within their original groups at 92.6 %. In the present mean CI value (2.15) of Kirklareli honey bee was found lower than CI value (2.5-2.7) of A. m. carnica honey bees' CI value. This value found in the present coincidence with the value CI (2.15) related to A. m. caucasica subspecies. According to these results, honey bee biodiversity in Turkey might be affected significantly from commercial queen bee sales. it is important to take necessary precautions about the protection of gene resources in order to protect bee genetic resources naturally found in Turkey.