The fortuitously timed release of the genome of Apis
mellifera, the western honeybee, in 2006 provided novel
insights into the biology of this agriculturally critical species
just as apicultural losses associated with what became
known as Colony Collapse Disorder reached crisis proportions.
Among the most striking findings was that the A.
mellifera genome is deficient with respect to itsinventory of
all gene families associated with detoxification [1], a pattern
that hasfor the most part held as more insect genomes
have been sequenced (Table 1A). The genome also provided
timely novel toolsfor characterizing the biochemical
mechanisms underlying the detoxification of natural and
synthetic xenobiotics, critical for evaluating the possible
involvement of nutrition and diet in honeybee decline