Year: 2017
Pages: 83-90
Number: Volume 9, issue 2
Type: scientific article
Dark forest bee Apis mellifera mellifera is an aboriginal subspecies for the Nordic countries and has an area extending up to 47° N.W. Despite the fact that the dark forest bee became known for its highly developed protective behavior, it is most preferable for breeding in most parts of Northern and Central Russia. This is due to the fact that a dark forest bee is capable of successfully surviving a long and frosty winter period for more than 6 months without damaging its health and without unnecessary losses without flying around. Such unique qualities are not possessed by any of the known subspecies of honeybees. However, the gene pool of a dark forest bee is currently threatened with extinction as a result of mass hybridization with imported southern subspecies A. m. carpathica and A. m. caucasica. This article describes the most valuable qualities of a dark forest bee, its role for Russian agriculture and the reasons for the decline in the number of colonies.
honeybee, dark forest honeybee, Apis mellifera mellifera, decline of colonies, mortality of bees, preservation of the gene pool, the importance of bees