The recent importation of 450 boxes of bees by a Sicilian apiculturist who set up base in Gozo has increased fears that the Maltese bee could soon face extinction.

Beekeepers who spoke to The Sunday Times of Malta are concerned that rampant importation of subspecies is endangering the unique genetic identity of the Maltese bee, scientifically known as apis mellifera ruttneri.

“The importation of such large quantities, which amounts to a quarter of the entire bee population on the island, is unprecedented,” a beekeeper who wished to remain anonymous warned.

The importation of such large quantities is unprecedented

The Association of Maltese Beekeepers raised concern on this matter some time ago, but recent developments have escalated fears of exposing the endemic species to pests, which could ultimately lead to the loss of its unique genetic identity.

However, Melita Bees Limited owner Ermanno de Chino, who imported this consignment, downplayed such claims when contacted by this newspaper.

He even went as far as questioning the existence of the Maltese bee, saying they had not come across any scientific literature which supported its existence.

“Is it really a subspecies or the some kind of bee which is also found in Sicily or North Africa?” he asked.

The Sicilian apiculturist settled in Malta last November, soon after a deadly small hive beetle ravaged beehives in Ispica, where he had his own bee-breeding company, Apiservices. The timing of his venture in Malta fuelled concerns that he might be bringing over some infected stocks.

However, Mr de Chino told this newspaper that he had been planning to transfer the business to Malta even before the outbreak of this pest, due to cheaper labour costs, better climate and an ever-increasing number of break-ins at the complex in Ispica.

He noted that Maltese beekeepers had been importing bees for at least 25 years as there were no breeders on the island.

“The threat to the Maltese bee has not been triggered by my decision to import 448 cases of bees,” he said.

“Probably, an equivalent amount is already being imported in a year by farmers to pollinate their produce and beekeepers themselves to augment their stock,” he added.

Asked about risks of importing the small hive beetle, he said that this could not be the case as all of his consignment had been bought from a French firm in Le Mans which was free from this pest. “Apart from the certification carried out in France, further inspections were done by the veterinary services in Malta,” he said.

Nevertheless beekeepers are not quite convinced, as they argue that such inspections normally take weeks and not days to carry out.

Mario Sant, whose family has been in this business for more than 100 years, confirmed that such a process is normally quite time consuming. In addition he noted that in winter no such inspections are carried out as bees are more prone to disease in cold weather.

Besides very few brood (bee larvae) are present and so few samples can be examined to certify that a colony is free of disease.

Apis mellifera ruttneri

A study carried out by Sheppard et al. in 1997 concerning the genetic identity of the local honey bee confirmed that this was a unique and endemic (found only in Malta) sub-species. This distinct honey bee was named Apis mellifera ruttneri.

In 2014, research by post-graduate student Sheryl Sammut established, through DNA analysis, that 83 per cent of the sampled honey bees displayed an African origin, typical of North African countries. This could support the concept of an ancient migration, possibly during the Messinian Crisis, from North Africa through the Maltese Islands.

In addition, morphometric analysis confirmed the unique identity of the local subspecies, as previously indicated by Sheppard et al.