GM bees

[drone1952]

I know I ask a stupid question but wonder:

There are genetically modified bees?

[bee-nuts]

Dont think so but probably soon enough, like it or not.

genetically modified bees

[slacker361]

well I am no expert on this but i do know that the buckfast bee is kind of a gm bee, meaning that a human intervened to created the buckfast bee, In was a crossbreed between the black bee and i think it was the Italian bee. so in that way yes there are gm bees. and that would be Brother Adam that mixed these two bees together.

[HomeBru]

well I am no expert on this but i do know that the buckfast bee is kind of a gm bee, meaning that a human intervened to created the buckfast bee, In was a crossbreed between the black bee and i think it was the Italian bee. so in that way yes there are gm bees. and that would be Brother Adam that mixed these two bees together.

Not quite. Buckfast's would be an artificially selected breed, not GM.

Genetically Modified means that genes have been added to an organism through genetic engineering. i.e. genes from other organisms are "inserted" into the desired organism.

GM soybeans and corn have been augmented with a bacterial gene resistant to certain herbicides. Pest resistant plants have been created by adding a gene from Bacillus thuringiensis. GM pigs have been created that have higher levels of Omega-3 oils in their meat through a gene from a specific roundworm.

I could see somebody coming up with a gene from another organism resistant to mites, foulbrood, etc. and inserting it into the genome of Apis sp.

[bee-nuts]

I thought I posted a link.  Ill try again.

http://planetsave.com/blog/blog/2008/11/09/uk-professor-hopes-modified-bee-genes-can-prevent-colony-collapse-disorder/

[slacker361]

I would be concerned that a gene replacement or alteration of some kind, since we have no idea what causes ccd, there are theories but as far as I know they have no clue what is causing it