Maltese honey bee
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Apidae
Genus: Apis
Species:
A. mellifera
Subspecies:
A. m. ruttneri
Trinomial name
Apis mellifera ruttneri
Sheppard, Arias, Grech & Meixner, 1997[1]

The Maltese honey bee, Apis mellifera ruttneri, is a subspecies of the western honey bee, endemic to the Maltese islands which are situated in the Mediterranean Sea.[2]

Origin

The A. m. ruttneri evolved into a distinct subspecies when the Maltese islands were cut off from Sicily[3] at the end of the last ice age, belonging to the A Lineage of Apis mellifera and therefore being more closely related to African lineage rather than to the European C Lineage.[4][5] The production of honey by the Maltese bee has likely contributed to the islands name as the ancient Greeks called the island Μελίτη (Melitē) meaning "honey-sweet".[6]

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).[2]

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 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.[7][8] 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.[9]

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.[10] It is considered as making a comeback after Varroa was introduced to Malta in the early 1990s.[11] At that time colonies of bees from abroad were imported to compensate for the loss of colonies. In 1997 it was confirmed as a distinct subspecies through DNA analysis, previously morphometric wing analysis had been used.[12] In 2022, it was reported that 70% of the Maltese colonies were destroyed by the Oriental hornet.[13]

Foundation for the Conservation of the Maltese Honey Bee

In 2022 a foundation 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 sustainable apiculture, 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".[14][15] They have published a document indicating the benefits of rearing the local bee versus foreign ones[16] and in summer 2023 they published a legal paper regarding the Maltese and European laws related to the genetic protection of the endemic Maltese honey bee.[17] Currently, this foundation is exerting pressure on the local environmental authority (ERA) to declare the Maltese honey as the national insect of Malta.[18]

References

  1. ↑ Sheppard, W. S.; Arias, M. C.; Grech, A.; Meixner, M. D. (1997). "Apis mellifera ruttneri, a new honey bee subspecies from Malta". Apidologie. 28 (5): 287–293. doi:10.1051/apido:19970505. ISSN 0044-8435.
  2. 1 2 Sheppard, W. S.; Arias, M. C.; Grech, A.; Meixner, M. D. (1997). "Apis mellifera ruttneri, a new honey bee subspecies from Malta". Apidologie. 28 (5): 287–293. doi:10.1051/apido:19970505. ISSN 0044-8435.
  3. ↑ "Malta's submerged landscape". timesofmalta.com. Times of Malta. 4 January 2013. Retrieved 21 December 2022.
  4. ↑ Zammit-Mangion, Marion; Meixner, Marina; Mifsud, David; Sammut, Sheryl; Camilleri, Liberato (2017-10-20). "Thorough morphological and genetic evidence confirm the existence of the endemic honey bee of the Maltese Islands Apis mellifera ruttneri: recommendations for conservation". Journal of Apicultural Research. 56 (5): 514–522. doi:10.1080/00218839.2017.1371522. ISSN 0021-8839. S2CID 91025470.
  5. ↑ Boardman, Leigh; Eimanifar, Amin; Kimball, Rebecca T.; Braun, Edward L.; Fuchs, Stefan; Grünewald, Bernd; Ellis, James D. (2020-01-02). "The mitochondrial genome of the Maltese honey bee, Apis mellifera ruttneri (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Apidae)". Mitochondrial DNA Part B. 5 (1): 877–878. doi:10.1080/23802359.2020.1717384. PMC 7748607. PMID 33366793.
  6. ↑ μέλι. Liddell, Henry George; Scott, Robert; A Greek–English Lexicon at the Perseus Project.
  7. ↑ Farrugia, Dylan; Martin-Hernandez, Raquel; Zammit Mangion, Marion (2022-10-02). "Beekeeping in Malta: A Review of Current Practices, Trends and Challenges". Bee World. 99 (4): 131–138. doi:10.1080/0005772X.2022.2113231. ISSN 0005-772X. S2CID 252424007.
  8. ↑ Galea, Thomas (2020). The development of 'Varroa destructor' in native 'Apis mellifera ruttneri' and in introduced 'Apis mellifera ligustica' colonies on the island of Malta (bachelorThesis). University of Malta.
  9. ↑ A. Uzunov, M. Meixner, D. Mifsud, T. Galea, M. Zammit-Mangion, S. Cutajar. "Comparison of colony development, behavior, production and vitality between the endemic sub-species A. m. ruttneri and the introduced A. m. ligustica in Malta". researchgate.net. Annual conference of the Working Group of Institutes for Bee Research. Retrieved 20 December 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  10. ↑ W.S. Sheppard, M.C. Arias, A..Grech, M.D. Meixner (1997). "Apis mellifera ruttneri, a new honey bee subspecies from Malta" (PDF). Apidologie. 28 (5): 287–293. doi:10.1051/apido:19970505. Retrieved 21 December 2022.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  11. ↑ A. Uzunov, M. Meixner, D. Mifsud, T. Galea, M. Zammit-Mangion, S. Cutajar. "Comparison of colony development, behavior, production and vitality between the endemic sub-species A. m. ruttneri and the introduced A. m. ligustica in Malta". researchgate.net. Annual conference of the Working Group of Institutes for Bee Research. Retrieved 20 December 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  12. ↑ Zammit-Mangion, Marion; Meixner, Marina; Mifsud, David; Sammut, Sheryl; Camilleri, Liberato (2017-10-20). "Thorough morphological and genetic evidence confirm the existence of the endemic honey bee of the Maltese Islands Apis mellifera ruttneri: recommendations for conservation". Journal of Apicultural Research. 56 (5): 514–522. doi:10.1080/00218839.2017.1371522. ISSN 0021-8839. S2CID 91025470.
  13. ↑ "70 per cent of local beehives destroyed by oriental hornets". Times of Malta. 18 October 2022. Retrieved 2022-12-20.
  14. ↑ "Buzz! National coalition launched to protect the Maltese Honeybee". www.guidememalta.com. Retrieved 2022-12-20.
  15. ↑ "Fondazzjoni għall-Konservazzjoni tan-Naħla Maltija". Fondazzjoni għall-Konservazzjoni tan-Naħla Maltija (in Maltese). Retrieved 2022-12-20.
  16. ↑ "Pubblikazzjonijiet". Fondazzjoni għall-Konservazzjoni tan-Naħla Maltija (in Maltese). 2022-10-28. Retrieved 2023-03-20.
  17. ↑ Dimech, David Chetcuti; Borg, Simone; Buttigieg, Abner Joe; Farrugia, Dylan (2023-06-01). "Review of the Maltese and European Laws related to the Genetic Protection of the Endemic Maltese Honey Bee (Apis mellifera ruttneri)" (PDF). European Energy and Environmental Law Review. 32 (3). ISSN 0966-1646.
  18. ↑ "In-Naħla Maltija bħala l-Insett Nazzjonali". Fondazzjoni għall-Konservazzjoni tan-Naħla Maltija (in Maltese). 2023-05-25. Retrieved 2023-06-22.
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