Sir, – Ireland’s native honey bee was thought by many to be extinct and thoughts that it might survive in the wild were dismissed.
Apis mellifera mellifera, known as the black bee in Ireland, is under threat of extinction across its northern European range, having been lost in many countries due to the importation of other types of honey bee by beekeepers.
However, research carried out at NUI Galway has shown that our native bee is alive and well both in beehives and in the wild.
Our wild colonies are surviving multiple years, despite the presence of the varroa mite that caused colonies to collapse all over the world, indicating that some bees have evolved tolerance to the parasite here in Ireland.
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The black bee is well suited to life in Ireland, having evolved to adapt here for thousands of years. But increased imports into Ireland of bees from abroad is threatening the survival of this bee.
Recent genetic and morphology work on wild colonies in Galway and Clare showed that approximately 30 per cent of those tested were hybrids between our native bee and imported bees, a big change from the previous three years. Of 100 swarms captured by Open Hive on the East Coast, 75 were non-native bees. Imported bees mate with our native bees and disrupt the delicate balance honed by thousands of years of evolution. All the adaptations that make the black bee suitable for life in Ireland become disrupted and the unique genetic traits of the black bee get lost.
Once genetic diversity is lost, it is lost forever.
Imported bees also bring disease; this is how varroa got here in the first place, and now we fear the small hive beetle arriving. American and European Foulbrood, a bacterial disease fatal to hone bees, is becoming more common, as well as many viruses.
It is time to stop imports of honey bees before the genetic integrity of our native black bee is destroyed forever.
The native Irish Honey Bee Society have been fighting for protection of this bee for years. With the aid of the Climate Bar Association, Green Party Senator Vincent Martin was able to bring a new Bill for consideration by our Government. The Protection of the Native Irish Honey Bee Bill was introduced to the Seanad in October 2021 and is being read before the Seanad for the second time tomorrow (June 2nd). This Bill is supported by all beekeeping bodies on the island of Ireland and deserves the support of our Government and the people of Ireland.
I would like to call on our Senators to support this Bill and for beekeepers in Ireland to demonstrate in support of this Bill to save our black bee (Leinster House gates at 11.30am tomorrow in full beesuit). – Yours, etc,
Prof GRACE
McCORMACK,
Evolution and
Systematics Laboratory,
Zoology,
Head, School
of Natural Sciences,
University of Galway.