recombination rates of worker bees

An article in Science Daily states that worker bee behavior is influenced by the genetic variation and recombination that occurs. They found that the areas in the bee genome associated with their work behavior are located in sections of the chromosome where there is a high recombination rate. York University states that, “Recombination makes the evolutionary fate of mutations independent of their surrounding neighbors, which enhances the process of natural selection.” This helped scientists understand how the mutations occurred and how it affected the worker bees actions.



Scientists have learned that a worker bee’s recombination rate is 10 times higher than a human being. The recombination in worker bees help them to develop certain characteristics. this helps them nurse other bees, collect food, and defend their colony from danger. Recombination also affects their ability to dance as their communication mechanism. This discovery has made scientists believe that they have found the key behind the way worker bees act. I knew that bees where very complex animals but i didn't think that recombination in the chromosomes of bees was so influential to their behavior. learning about these genes in the worker bees shows how important it is to learn about genetics. if we can understand the complexity of worker bees and other small creatures, then we are one step closer to learning the complexity of human genes and how they work.