The Carniolan honey bee (Apis mellifera carnica, Pollman, 1879), also known as the grey bee, is a subspecies of the European honey bee. It is native to southern Austria, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as parts of Serbia, Hungary and Romania. It is favoured among beekeepers for its non-aggressive behaviour and exemplary productivity. In the springtime, it typically develops bee communities rather quickly, thus allowing beekeepers to take advantage of the early honey pastures, producing high yields of honey. This is why beekeepers have spread this bee all over the globe, making it one of the most sought-after honey bee subspecies around the world. This bee pollinates fruit and arable crops, as well as wild plants, which makes it indispensable in preserving the biodiversity of our habitats.
For the past twenty years in Croatia, it has been subject to careful selection aimed at curbing its swarming urge, as well as making it not only even more suitable for work and keeping in urban areas, but also more resistant to diseases. The selection programme in Croatia prohibits keeping any other subspecies of honey bee, ensuring the future for our dear “Grey”.
Beekeepers gathered in beekeeping associations and the Croatian Beekeepers’ Association, which is the umbrella association of all beekeepers, are dedicated to ensuring the survival of the Carniolan honey bee. In addition to that, the Croatian Beekeepers’ Association issues a professional journal for beekeepers, proudly titled the “Croatian Bee” (“Hrvatska pčela“), which has been continuously present since 1881.
Prof. Zlatko Puškadija, PhD
Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek,
Faculty of Agriculture
