Country specific hybridization of honey bees from lineage M.

Over 63.7% of honey bee colonies in the study belong to lineage M across ten European countries, with significant regional variation in its persistence.

• Why it matters: Understanding the distribution of lineage M is crucial because genetic erosion threatens native populations, impacting biodiversity and pollination services in Europe.
• What they did: Researchers analyzed 29,043 wing images from 1,342 colonies across ten countries, assigning them to four lineages (A, C, M, O) to assess regional prevalence.
• The result: Lineage M remains dominant in unprotected populations in Portugal, Spain, and Ireland, but shows a marked decline in northeastern Poland, highlighting regional conservation needs.