Topic summary
Apis mellifera
Extracted from the Wikipedia article Western honey bee.
Aging
Apis mellifera honey bees with high amounts of flight experience exhibit increased DNA damage in flight muscle, as measured by elevated 8-Oxo-2'-deoxyguanosine, compared to bees with less flight experience. This increased DNA damage is likely due to an imbalance of pro- and anti-oxidants during flight-associated oxidative stress. Flight induced oxidative DNA damage appears to hasten senescence and limit lifespan in A. mellifera.