ABSTRACT
This chapter presents status and trends of honey bee populations that spread beyond their native range with the specific attention on the case study of Latin America. Vandame and M. A. Palacio concluded that “there are no reports of massive colony losses in Latin America”, while M. Maggi et al. stated that “several cases of colony losses and colony depopulation were reported by beekeepers throughout the continent, yet no accurate data has been published to date”. Honey bees create honey reserves from nectar dehydration to feed the innest population even during the period without access to floral resources surrounding the colony nest. Honey bee populations therefore have a human-mediated spread beyond their native range, toward a worldwide introduction of Apis mellifera. The first introduction period of Apis mellifera in Latin America took place in the 17th century for honey production interest.
