The Carniolan Honey Bee

THE CARNIOLAN BEE

APIS MELLIFERA CARNICABy NIKA Š. ~ OŠ Slivnica pri Celju, Slovenia ~ 2015/2016

Carniolan bee

Scientific classificationKingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Arthropoda

Class: Insecta

Order: Hymenoptera

Family: Apidae

Genus: Apis

Species: A. mellifera

Subspecies: A. m. carnica

Trinomial name

Apis mellifera carnicaPollman, 1879

ORIGIN

• Subspecies of the western honey bee

• From Kočevje, Slovenia

INTRODUCTION

• In 1879, August Pollmann

introduced and described this bee species to other beekeepers

• In 1866, Emil Rothschütz started selling the Carniolan bees

(“commercial bee breeding”)

HOMELAND• Slovenia

• Slovenian beekeepers call it “Carniolan grey” because its abdominal segments are covered with grey hairs

• Spent several thousand years adapting to Slovenia’s climate and forage conditions:o cold winters, lots of snowo hot summers, frequent rain and windo good use of forage when the weather permits

ANATOMY AND APPEARANCE

• dusky brown-grey colour • very short hair• light brown stripes • dark chitin (it is possible to find lighter coloured or brown coloured

rings and dots on their bodies)• thin abdomen• a very long tongue (6.5 to 6.7 mm, which is very well adapted for

clover)• a very high elbow joint

SOURCE: http://lingue.altervista.org/vocabulary/animals_bee_anatomy.jpg

MORPHOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS

• QUEEN: a well-developed, resistant thorax and a long, pointed abdomen

• WORKER:  medium-sized, thin, generally grey, long legs, a pointed and dark abdomen, tomentum* is grey

• DRONE: a dark abdomen (never yellow!)

*TOMENTUM = a dense covering of matted hair

SOURCE: http://www.ohranimo-cebele.si/Upload/files/Spoznaj%20cebeljo%20druzino%20in%20bivalisce%2010-12.pdf

TEMPERAMENT• gentle, non-aggressive• hardworking • frugal• an excellent sense of orientation• a good cleaning instinct → less susceptible to various

diseases

COLLECTING HONEYDEW• spruce

• fir

• nectar

• honey

• pollen

“THE BRISK TRADE”

• News of its good characteristics reached beekeepers of all countries.

• The trade began at the end of the 19th century (Apis mellifera

mellifera Apis mellifera carnica).

• Until the First World War we exported several thousands of bee

colonies.

• The Carniolan bee is now all over the world.

• It is the most popular bee species in the world.

CARNIOLAN HIVE

• Until the early 20th century the art of painted beehive panels was

very popular in Slovenia.

• long

• wooden

• can be worked from the back and the front

• perfect for transporting bees

Slovenian beehive panels are unique works of art that symbolize the country’s tradition of beekeeping.

JUST APIS MELLIFERA CARNICA!

• Slovenia protected its indigenous bee race!

The first (and so for the only) EU member state!

• No other bee race is allowed to be bred in Slovenia!

Our school’s

bee house

https://youtu.be/SukTKxfUCR8 http://www.purposegames.com/game/anatomy-of-a-honey-bee-game

WATCH AND LEARN!

A SMART MAN ONCE SAID …

If the bee disappeared off the surface of the globe then man would only have four years of life left. No more bees, no more pollination, no more plants, no more animals, no more man.

(Albert Einstein)