European dark bee

European dark bee
The Savoie honeybee has rather light wings for a black bee (note ample hair on thorax and black abdomen with little hair)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Apidae
Genus:	Apis
Species:	A. mellifera
Subspecies:	A. m. mellifera
Trinomial name
Apis mellifera mellifera Linnaeus, 1758

The European dark bee (Apis mellifera mellifera) was domesticated in modern times, and taken to North America in colonial times. These big, dark-colored honey bees are sometimes called the German black bee, although they occurred originally from Britain to eastern Central Europe.

There are three main races, namely

• mellifera (brown bee)
• lehzeni (heathland bee)
• nigra (black bee),

which have local breeds, such as the Pomeranian brown, the Alps black, or the black Scandinavian. All of the subspecies belong to the 'M' lineage of Apis mellifera.

The European dark bee can be distinguished from other subspecies by their stocky body, abundant thoracal and sparse abdominal hair which is brown, and overall dark coloration; in nigra, there is also heavy dark pigmentation of the wings. Overall, when viewed from a distance, they should appear blackish, or in mellifera, rich dark brown. The aggressive feral hybrids with other subspecies can be distinguished by the lighter, yellowish banding on the sides of the abdomen, but this is often difficult. For breeding pure dark bees according to the standard, details of the wing veins are nowadays considered to be the only reliable distinguishing character.

Tree trunk hollow nesting wild population of the dark European bee

Evolution The European black honey bee race of Apis mellifera is evolutionarily adapted to live in the continental long, cold winters of northern Eurasia. This race survives in a few isolated reserves. The largest areas are in Russia: about 300,000 colonies avoided hybridisation in the South Ural area of the Republic of Bashkortostan; about 200,000 colonies in the Middle Ural area and about 250,000 colonies in the Volga Region of Republic of Tatarstan. We have information also about the large populations of this bee in the Altai Region of the Republic of Udmurtia. Of the European black bees in the South Ural, 99% are kept in frame hives in apiaries with 1% in natural and specially made tree hollows. The evolution of the European black bees was synchronous with the evolution of the widely spreading linden tree Tilia cordata and therefore the main forage crop for these bees is when these linden trees blossom (Nikonorov et al., 1998; Nikolenko, Poskryakov, 2002; Ilyasov et al., 2007; Ilyasov et al., 2011; Ilyasov et al., 2015) [] .

Gene pool Scientists at the Ufa Scientific Centre of the Russian Academy of Science have been monitoring the gene pool of the Burzyan honey bees (bees living in Burzyan region of the Republic of Bashkortostan) for the last 20 years, using polymorphism of loci COI-COII of mtDNA and 9 microsatellite loci ap243, 4a110, a24, a8, a43,a113, a88, ap049, a28 of nuclear DNA. This extensive research confirmed the purity of the gene pool as a race of Apis mellifera mellifera (Nikonorov et al., 1998; Nikolenko, Poskryakov, 2002; Ilyasov et al., 2007; Ilyasov et al., 2011; Ilyasov et al., 2015) []. In 2011, at the request of the Institute of Beekeeping and State Reserve Shulgan-Tash, bees from this population were classified as a separate type: Burzyan wild bee. This was registered in the State Register Patent No 5956 on 14 June 2011 by the State Commission of the Russian Federation (Nikonorov et al., 1998; Nikolenko, Poskryakov, 2002; Ilyasov et al., 2007; Ilyasov et al., 2011; Ilyasov et al., 2015)] [] .

History According to artefacts found at the Bahmutin culture burial site near Birsk, beekeeping in the southern Ural started 500-600 years BC among local Finno-Ugric tribes. Later beekeeping was adopted by Bashkir ancestors, who drove away the Bahmutin people (Nikonorov et al., 1998; Nikolenko, Poskryakov, 2002; Ilyasov et al., 2007; Ilyasov et al., 2011; Ilyasov et al., 2015). Bashkir beekeeping flourished in the 18th century. It took longer to develop than in Belarus, Germany, Lithuania, Poland and central regions of Russia, however the Bashkir beekeepers developed more perfect, convenient and reliable tools and accessories. With special land tenure rights, the Bashkirs managed to avoid compliance the requirements of the Russian Forest Service in, which in 1882 banned beekeeping in state forests “because of the risk of forest fires” (Nikonorov et al., 1998; Nikolenko, Poskryakov, 2002; Ilyasov et al., 2007; Ilyasov et al., 2011; Ilyasov et al., 2015). In the 19th century, due to deforestation and destruction of cultural traditions by the migrant population, Bashkir beekeepers developed Koloda beekeeping. Koloda uses handmade hollows inside tree trunks, made high up in a tree. Trees with Koloda were considered by Bashkirs as personal property and were marked with Tamga, the distinctive signs of tribal affiliation. Every beekeeper knew his mark and did not touch the property of others. Trees with Koloda and Tamga were traditionally kept by a family for generations (Nikonorov et al., 1998; Nikolenko, Poskryakov, 2002; Ilyasov et al., 2007; Ilyasov et al., 2011; Ilyasov et al., 2015) [] .

Hollow tree apiculture In the second half of the 20th century Bashkir beekeepers began using movable-frame hives. Nevertheless despite the hard labour, hollow tree apiculture still continues in remote areas of the South Urals. Inspections of hollow tree bee colonies requires work as high as 16 m, and because they are located away from populated areas, the beekeeper has to travel on horseback 40-50 km each day. Tools used by Bashkir beekeepers are mostly homemade and are similar to beekeeping tools as used in other countries. However tools unique to the Bashkir beekeepers are the Kiram and the Lange. A Kiram is a braided leather belt up to 5 m in length used for climbing trees. A Lange is a small portable platform or footrest, which is fixed on the tree trunk with a rope (Nikonorov et al., 1998; Nikolenko, Poskryakov, 2002; Ilyasov et al., 2007; Ilyasov et al., 2011; Ilyasov et al., 2015). In later centuries, when there were enough natural hollows in trees with bees, Bashkirs, like beekeepers around the world, in autumn would harvest all the honey from a colony and the bees that were left without reserves died. In spring, beekeepers would check these tree hollows, clean them and make them ready for fresh occupation by a swarm. This killing colony system was used until the 19th century and in some areas until the 1950s. The advantages of this system were considered to be that new comb was created every year, tree hollows rotted less, bees were rarely ill, their body size did not decrease and there was no inbreeding (Nikonorov et al., 1998; Nikolenko, Poskryakov, 2002; Ilyasov et al., 2007; Ilyasov et al., 2011; Ilyasov et al., 2015). When the number of natural tree hollows declined sharply, beekeepers were forced to treat the wild bees with more care and leave sufficient honey for winter survival. As a result, colonies lived longer in the same place - up to 25 years! In addition, Bashkir beekeepers began to keep wild bee colonies continuously for long periods in the same tree trunk hollow since they had learned how to replace old combs without damaging the colonies. But non-stop keeping of bees in the same hollows led to the decay of the nest more quickly than keeping bees in different hollows every year. Therefore wild beekeeping without change of nests reduces the service life of the hollows (Nikonorov et al., 1998; Nikolenko, Poskryakov, 2002; Ilyasov et al., 2007; Ilyasov et al., 2011; Ilyasov et al., 2015). Wild bee colonies in the Ural area have many natural enemies that weaken the family and cause their death. These enemies are: brown bear Ursus arctos, European hornet Vespa crabro, forest mouse Apodemus uralensis, greater spotted woodpecker Dendrocopos major, pine marten Martes martes, red wasp Dolichovespula rufa, red wood ant Formica rufa, and wax moth Galleria mellonella (Nikonorov et al., 1998; Nikolenko, Poskryakov, 2002; Ilyasov et al., 2007; Ilyasov et al., 2011; Ilyasov et al., 2015). They also could not avoid recent honey bee diseases and parasites, such as Varroa destructor, Nosema apis, Chalkbrood Ascosphaera apis (Farkchutdinov), American foulbrood Paenibacillus larvae, and European foulbrood Melissococcus pluton. These problems are more severe in modern, movable-frame hives than in hollow tree hives. The populations of hollow tree bees have cyclical swings dependent on solar activity (Nikonorov et al., 1998; Nikolenko, Poskryakov, 2002; Ilyasov et al., 2007; Ilyasov et al., 2011; Ilyasov et al., 2015) [].

Biosphere Currently, black European bees exist in the southern Urals in the State Reserve "Shulgan-Tash" where they live in natural and handmade tree hollows. The Reserve was established in 1958 and it covers an area of about 22,000 ha. The bees live in the regional "Altyn Solok" Nature Reserve (90,000 ha) established in 1997, and the "Bashkiria" National Park (82,300 ha) formed in 1986. The director of the State Reserve "Shulgan-Tash" is Michail N. Kosarev work in conservation of wild tree trunk hollow nesting population of dark bee long time (Nikonorov et al., 1998; Nikolenko, Poskryakov, 2002; Ilyasov et al., 2007; Ilyasov et al., 2011; Ilyasov et al., 2015). At the end of 2014, these three national parks had about 1,200 trees with Koloda handmade hollow tree hives but only 300 were occupied by bee colonies, while about 4,000 colonies were kept in apiaries in movable-frame hives. In 2012, these Reserves, together with others, were listed as specially protected areas, and acquired the status of biosphere with UNESCO, called "Bashkir Ural" complex, and a total area of 346,000 ha. The regional reserve "Altyn Solok" is protected by the Ministry of Environment of the Republic of Bashkortostan. To preserve the Burzyan honey bee, it is planned to expand the "Shulgan-Tash" Reserve in a north-west direction through undeveloped territory between the Nugush and Uruk rivers (Nikonorov et al., 1998; Nikolenko, Poskryakov, 2002; Ilyasov et al., 2007; Ilyasov et al., 2011; Ilyasov et al., 2015). The staff from "Shulgan-Tash", "Altyn Solok" and the national park "Bashkiria", together with local beekeepers are constantly taking measures to increase the bee population and to carry on selection work to improve immunity, winter hardiness and productivity of the Burzyan bees. This policy of state protected reservations allows us to save a unique population of these Apis mellifera mellifera bees in Eurasia, in the face of new threats from hybridisation and habitat destruction (Nikonorov et al., 1998; Nikolenko, Poskryakov, 2002; Ilyasov et al., 2007; Ilyasov et al., 2011; Ilyasov et al., 2015).

Character

Hybrids have a defensive character and have the reputation of stinging people (and other creatures) for no apparent reason. Some colonies are very "runny" on the comb and so excitable that beekeepers consider them difficult to work with. This characteristic is not, however, one that has been traditionally associated with the dark bee breeds, which were previously known for their rather easy handling (though they have never been considered as placid as the Carniolan honey bee).

Qualities

European Honey Bees in the California High Desert, immersed in Yellow Beavertail Cactus Flower Pollen

• significant winter hardiness (linked to their foraging choices in opposition to that of the African honey bee, A. m. scutellata)
• low tendency to swarm
• some lines are very gentle
• defensive against invaders such as wasps
• careful, measured "maritime" brood cycle
• strong drive to collect pollen
• high longevity of the worker bees and queen
• excellent flight strength even in cold weather
• possibly hardiness against varroa

Significance

Apis mellifera mellifera is no longer a significant commercial subspecies of the Western honey bee, but there are a number of dedicated hobbyist beekeepers that keep these bees in Europe and other parts of the world. Immigrants brought these subspecies into the Americas. Prior to their arrival, the American continent did not have any honey bees. Hybrid descendants of the original colonial black bees may also have survived in North America as feral bees. There are reports by beekeepers that, after the arrival of the Varroa mite on the American continent in 1987, some feral bee colonies survived. The original form is no longer present in North America. A common myth regarding European black bees is that they cannot sting because they do not have a stinger.

A honeybee

In Western Europe, dark bee breeds were the original honey bee stock until creation of the Buckfast bee. This is a hybrid breed whose progeny includes salvaged remnants of the British black bee, nearly extinct by then due to Acarapis woodi (acarine mite). The breeding stocks in Central Europe were nearly destroyed by order of the Nazis, who considered the honey yields not up to modern standards and wanted to "improve" the bee stocks kept in areas under their control.

This led to the creation of more aggressive, high-yield breeds (probably by cross-breeding dark and Buckfast high-yield strains with Carniolan honey bees), which, however, were very susceptible to Varroa mite infection and unpleasant to handle and were dropped from use after World War II, but just as in North America, some feral colonies survive. In the United States, 'M' lineage honey bees have been found in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma and Missouri, based on DNA sequencing analysis. Dedicated breeders and research facilities are today working on preserving and spreading what could be saved from the original stocks. There are only a handful of colonies present in Germany, but larger numbers have survived in Norway (lehzeni), the Alps (nigra) and Poland and Belgium (mellifera).

External links

• Ilyasov R.A., Petukhov A.V., Poskryakov A.V., Nikolenko A.G. (2007) Local honey bee (Apis mellifera mellifera L.) populations in the Urals. Russian journal of Genetics. V. 43 (6). P. 709-711.
• Ilyasov R.A., Poskryakov A.V., Nikolenko A.G. (2015) New SNP Markers of the Honeybee Vitellogenin Gene (Vg) Used for Diagnostics of Subspecies Apis mellifera mellifera L. in Russia. Russian Journal of Genetics. V. 51 (2). P. 163–168.
• Ilyasov R.A., Kutuev IA, Petukhov A.V., Poskryakov A.V., Nikolenko A.G. (2011) Phylogenetics relationships of dark european honeybees Apis mellifera mellifera L. from the Russian Ural and west european populations. Journal of Apicultural Science. V. 55 (1). P. 67-76.
• Mail online
• BIBBA, the Bee Improvement and Bee Breeding Association (UK and Ireland)
• European dark bee(in German)
• Swiss Mellifera breeders(in German)
• Swedish organisation for saving the native bee.
• The society for the conservation of the dark bee (Germany)