Application of a modified selection index for honey bees (Hymenoptera : Apidae)

Nine different genetic families of honey bees (Apis mellifera L.) were comp ared using summed z-scores (phenotypic values) and a modified selection ind ex (I-mod).I-mod values incorporated both the phenotypic scores of the diff erent trails and the economic weightings of these traits, as determined by a survey of commercial Ontario beekeepers. Largely because of the high weig ht all beekeepers place on honey production, a distinct difference between line rankings based on phenotypic scores and I-mod scores was apparent, the reby emphasizing the need to properly weight the traits being evaluated to select bee stocks most valuable for beekeepers, Furthermore, when beekeeper s who made >10% of their income from queen and nucleus colony sales assigne d relative values to the traits used in the Imod calculations, the results differed from those based on weightings assigned by honey producers. Our re sults underscore the difficulties the North American beekeeping industry mu st overcome to devise effective methods of evaluating colonies for breeding purposes.