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The Maltese honey bee, ''Apis mellifera ruttneri'', is a subspecies of the
The bee is of relatively dark colour and has shown an ability to defend itself against local predacious wasps, a behavior also reported in the related ''A. m. sicula'', but not observed in imported ''A. m. ligustica'' bees. It was also observed to abscond during times of dearth and produce large numbers of queen cells prior to swarming (up to 80).
In a comparison study on the island of Malta against the ''A. m. ligustica'', the ''A. m. ruttneri'' showed significantly greater tolerance (all the ''A. m. ruttneri'' hives were still alive after 23 months, while all the ''A. m. ligustica'' hives died within a year) and resistance (by measuring the Hygienic trait with a Pin Test, the ''A. m. ruttneri'' had 50% higher results) towards the ''
In 2022 a group was set up to help in the conservation and promotion of the ''A. m. ruttneri''. The organization aims for the ''A. m. ruttneri'' to be recognized in terms of Malta's "national ecology" and "natural heritage": To encourage research and breeding, and to co-ordinate various entities interested in the Maltese honeybee’s conservation, as well as "To emphasise the importance of legislation that would protect the Maltese Honeybee in a holistic way". They oppose the importation of other bees into Malta stating that the "Maltese bee (''A. m. ruttneri'') is being polluted by honey bees of foreign breeds being imported into our country".
western honey bee
The western honey bee or European honey bee (''Apis mellifera'') is the most common of the 7–12 species of honey bees worldwide. The genus name ''Apis'' is Latin for "bee", and ''mellifera'' is the Latin for "honey-bearing" or "honey carrying" ...
, endemic
Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found else ...
to the Maltese islands
Malta ( , , ), officially the Republic of Malta ( mt, Repubblika ta' Malta ), is an island country in the Mediterranean Sea. It consists of an archipelago, between Italy and Libya, and is often considered a part of Southern Europe. It lies ...
which are situated in the Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean Basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Western and Southern Europe and Anatolia, on the south by North Africa, and on ...
.
Origin
The ''A. m. ruttneri'' evolved into a distinct subspecies when the Maltese islands were cut off fromSicily
Sicily ( it, Sicilia , ) is the list of islands in the Mediterranean, largest island in the Mediterranean Sea and one of the 20 regions of Italy, regions of Italy. The Strait of Messina divides it from the region of Calabria in Southern Italy. I ...
at the end of the last ice age, belonging to the A Lineage of ''Apis mellifera
The western honey bee or European honey bee (''Apis mellifera'') is the most common of the 7–12 species of honey bees worldwide. The genus name ''Apis'' is Latin for "bee", and ''mellifera'' is the Latin for "honey-bearing" or "honey carrying", ...
'' and therefore being more closely related to African lineage rather than to the European C Lineage. The production of honey by the Maltese bee has likely contributed to the islands name as the ancient Greeks called the island (''Melitē'') meaning "honey-sweet".
Character and behaviour
The bee is of relatively dark colour and has shown an ability to defend itself against local predacious wasps, a behavior also reported in the related ''A. m. sicula'', but not observed in imported ''A. m. ligustica'' bees. It was also observed to abscond during times of dearth and produce large numbers of queen cells prior to swarming (up to 80).
In a comparison study on the island of Malta against the ''A. m. ligustica'', the ''A. m. ruttneri'' showed significantly greater tolerance (all the ''A. m. ruttneri'' hives were still alive after 23 months, while all the ''A. m. ligustica'' hives died within a year) and resistance (by measuring the Hygienic trait with a Pin Test, the ''A. m. ruttneri'' had 50% higher results) towards the ''Varroa destructor
''Varroa destructor'', the ''Varroa'' mite is an external parasitic mite that attacks and feeds on the honey bees ''Apis cerana'' and ''Apis mellifera''. The disease caused by the mites is called varroosis.
The ''Varroa'' mite can reproduce on ...
'' mite. Also the ''A. m. ruttneri'' produced over three times the yield of honey when compared to the ''A. m. ligustica'' bees during the late season. However the ''A. m. ruttneri'' was observed to be more aggressive and less calm on the comb during inspections, and they appeared to continue to rear brood and maintain a higher population during the winters months on Malta.
History of ''A. m. ruttneri''
The subspecies is named after Professor Friedrich Ruttner, an expert in honey bee queen breeding and also in the intra-specific taxonomy of the ''Apis mellifera''. It is considered as making a comeback after ''Varroa'' was introduced to Malta in the early 1990's. At that time colonies of bees from abroad were imported to compensate for the loss of colonies. In 1997 it was confirmed as a distinctsubspecies
In biological classification, subspecies is a rank below species, used for populations that live in different areas and vary in size, shape, or other physical characteristics (morphology), but that can successfully interbreed. Not all species ...
through DNA analysis, previously morphometric
Morphometrics (from Greek μορϕή ''morphe'', "shape, form", and -μετρία ''metria'', "measurement") or morphometry refers to the quantitative analysis of ''form'', a concept that encompasses size and shape. Morphometric analyses are co ...
wing analysis had been used. In 2022, it was reported that 70% of the Maltese beehives were destroyed by the Oriental hornet
The Oriental hornet (''Vespa orientalis'') is a social insect species of the family Vespidae. It can be found in Southwest Asia, Northeast Africa, the island of Madagascar (but no reports have been made of its presence on the island for many yea ...
.
Coalition for the Conservation of the Maltese Honey Bee
In 2022 a group was set up to help in the conservation and promotion of the ''A. m. ruttneri''. The organization aims for the ''A. m. ruttneri'' to be recognized in terms of Malta's "national ecology" and "natural heritage": To encourage research and breeding, and to co-ordinate various entities interested in the Maltese honeybee’s conservation, as well as "To emphasise the importance of legislation that would protect the Maltese Honeybee in a holistic way". They oppose the importation of other bees into Malta stating that the "Maltese bee (''A. m. ruttneri'') is being polluted by honey bees of foreign breeds being imported into our country".
References
{{Taxonbar, from=Q6744873 Western honey bee breeds Fauna of Malta