The Maltese Honey Bee is at Risk of Extinction!
The MEDIBEES Project who are doing research on endemic honey bees, recently released preliminary information on the purity of the Maltese Bee.
Unfortunately the results are truly alarming. Their research indicates that of the 47 samples analysed, only 6 were found to be pure Maltese. This constitutes only 12.8% of the collected samples. As anticipated, the majority of honey bees analyzed were hybridised with imported Italian honey bees. At this rate, our endemic subspecies, which is only found in the Maltese Islands, is facing imminent extinction. Once more comprehensive information on the research is published, we will be sharing it with you through our platforms!
The need to address this issue from the roots is now emphasized more than ever – the implementation of a ban on the importation of foreign honey bees is a necessity if we want to safeguard the Maltese Bee. Time is of the essence, and we must act promptly before it is too late! Link to preliminary results: https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=232629139809092&set=a.112830828455591