I suppose, if we think about it, most of the behavioural characteristics which have been attributed to the different races were/are actually those of managed colonies.

It may only have been a very simplistic management but never the less, over a period of centuries it would have had a real bearing on the bees. A random example of old style management affecting the direction the bees take can be found in Dzierzon's 'Rational Beekeeping'.

Even the common black or grey German species may be divided into a honey-bee and a swarming bee. The latter, which is also called the Heath bee, in consequence of the management adopted, swarms continually ; and swarming has become quite a second nature with this bee, so much so, that even colonies with young queens of the first year make preparations for swarming and breed drones, which is never done by the honey-bee that is met with in the greatest part of Central and South Germany.