Dark Bee (European Dark Bee)
Lexikon
The Dark Bee, scientifically Apis mellifera mellifera, is the subspecies of the honey bee originally native to Central, Western and Northern Europe north of the Alps.
The Dark Bee, scientifically Apis mellifera mellifera, is the subspecies of the honey bee originally native to Central, Western and Northern Europe north of the Alps. It is dark colored, broadly built, and has the shortest tongue relative to body length of all subspecies. Values according to Ruttner range, depending on region of origin, from about 5.9 millimeters in the north to around 6.2 to 6.5 millimeters in the more southerly parts of its range.
In the twentieth century it was almost completely displaced in Germany and Austria by the Carniolan bee. It is now considered endangered and is cared for in conservation breeding programs, in Germany among others through a dedicated national association, and in Switzerland through protected areas and associations.
Because mating is the decisive point for such a small remaining population, island mating stations, protected mating stations and instrumental insemination play a major role in conservation breeding.
The Dark Bee is considered well adapted to harsh climates and economical in winter consumption. It has a reputation for being less gentle than the Carniolan bee, though gentleness can also be changed considerably within a subspecies through breeding.