Hi HP, a couple of notes.
1. The genetics are identical in summer verses winter bees. Specifically, the DNA does not change.
2. The DNA is encoded differently, the major difference is the FatBody. Think of a butterfly and catapiller, exact DNA in both, just encoded differently. Encoding is everything!!!
A. The discovery of the FatBody by early biologists was named for appearance as the biologist did not know the function and it looks like fat, adipose tissue.
B. The FatBody produces cytochrome just like our own liver, therefore I equate the FatBody as the liver of bees. I am the only one to do this trying to enable beeks to under the FatBody.
C. The FatBody is a complex organ improperly named, the organ is NOT stored fat as in the usual sense of lipids, and losing weight.
[cytochrome 450 is a detoxification enzyme in bees and humans.]. A specialized enzyme made by the FatBody, not made by any fat cell. Fat cells are stored energy, long chains of carbon atoms, a simple cell, whereas the FatBody is an organ.
3. All DNA is every cell is the same for an individual, regardless of a finger or an organ.
A. The DNA in the human finger is exact same as the DNA of the kidney for a specific individual.
B. The DNA in the human finger is encoded differently than say the kidney, although the DNA is the same.
4. DNA is information, EXACT SPECIFIC information the only information found and in nature. A single cell contains more info than a super computer, packaged in an condensed area to small to be visible to the human eye.
5. Getting back to bees, the DNA is the same but encoding generates a different kind of bee on a molecule level although the bees look identical. The most know difference is the enlargement of the FatBody.
HP, I am no expert, I read from PubMed, to ascertain info of APIS species. I have tried to relay some basics of DNA but I am a bit antiquated so forgive my sloppy comparison or my crude explanations.
Blessings to All
Van