• Question: Have you ever found something really interesting when doing DNA extraction?What other kind of experiments do you do in the lab?

    Asked by Little Flower to Roberto on 13 Nov 2018.
    • Photo: Roberto

      Roberto answered on 13 Nov 2018:


      Yes, we have found a lot of very interesting genetic data by looking at the honeybee DNA. In particular, we were able to discover that the native Irish honeybees, so the honeybee that has evolved during the centuries and millenniums in Ireland, still exist in Ireland. This is a very groundbreaker news since this subspecies of honeybee was thought to be completely extinct at the begin of the last century (1900).

      I do also a lot of other very interesting experiments, for example, I am also studying honeybee housekeeping behaviour. Cleaning their hive it is of extreme importance to fight back most of the parasites that damage the honeybees. This it may seem a boring experiment, but believe me, it is super interesting. The honeybee can literally spot an ill larva in the nest, collect her and bring out side of the hive avoiding further disease dispersion

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