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The Carniolan Honey Bee
- 1. THE CARNIOLAN BEE APISMELLIFERA CARNICA By NIKA Š. ~ OŠ Slivnica pri Celju, Slovenia ~ 2015/2016
- 2. Carniolan bee Scientific classification Kingdom:Animalia Phylum: Arthropoda Class: Insecta Order: Hymenoptera Family: Apidae Genus: Apis Species: A. mellifera Subspecies: A. m. carnica Trinomial name Apis mellifera carnica Pollman, 1879
- 3. ORIGIN • Subspecies ofthe western honey bee • From Kočevje, Slovenia
- 4. 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”)
- 5. HOMELAND • Slovenia • Slovenianbeekeepers 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 snow o hot summers, frequent rain and wind o good use of forage when the weather permits
- 6. 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
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- 8. 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
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- 10. TEMPERAMENT • gentle, non-aggressive •hardworking • frugal • an excellent sense of orientation • a good cleaning instinct → less susceptible to various diseases
- 11. COLLECTING HONEYDEW • spruce •fir • nectar • honey • pollen
- 12. “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.
- 13. CARNIOLAN HIVE •Until theearly 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
- 14. Slovenian beehive panelsare unique works of art that symbolize the country’s tradition of beekeeping.
- 15. JUST APIS MELLIFERACARNICA! • 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!
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- 19. A SMART MANONCE 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)