How an annual ‘wedding flight’ of 1,000 virgin queens is ensuring the revival of Europe’s dark bee
#European dark bee #Wedding flight #Chimay Belgium #Hybrid honeybees #Hubert Guerriat #Apis mellifera mellifera #Bee conservation #Native species
📌 Key Takeaways
- Annual 'wedding flight' ceremony in Chimay, Belgium breeds 1,000 virgin queen bees to revive the endangered European dark bee
- The European dark bee is a native subspecies threatened by hybridization with imported honeybees since the mid-20th century
- Dark bees offer greater resilience to climate challenges, diseases, and require less maintenance than hybrid varieties
- Conservation efforts include establishing protected zones and restoring wild populations through specialized habitat creation
📖 Full Retelling
Every summer, Belgian beekeepers and conservationists led by Hubert Guerriat orchestrate an extraordinary 'wedding flight' ceremony in Chimay, Belgium, where 1,000 virgin queen bees of the endangered European dark bee subspecies are bred with male bees to ensure genetic purity and revival of this native species. This annual gathering attracts beekeepers from the Netherlands, France, and Germany who are committed to boosting dark bee numbers and halting the spread of hybrid honeybees that threaten the native population's survival. The ceremony, which began in 2000 and is centered at the Maison de l'Abeille Noire (dark bee house), involves a fascinating natural process where the virgin queens mate with up to 20 male bees during their 'wedding flight.' After mating, the male bee's endophallus (penis equivalent) is torn off, causing his death, while the fertilized queen collects millions of sperm that can be stored in a special pouch in her abdomen for several years. Beekeepers then transport these fertilized queens back to their home countries, sometimes covering distances of more than 300km, to establish new colonies of pure European dark bees (Apis mellifera mellifera), the native subspecies that evolved alongside the flowers and climate of this region.
🏷️ Themes
Conservation, Biodiversity, Sustainable Agriculture
📚 Related People & Topics
European dark bee
Subspecies of honey bee
The Apis mellifera mellifera (commonly known as the European dark bee) is a subspecies of the western honey bee, evolving in central Asia, with a proposed origin of the Tien Shan Mountains and later migrating into eastern and then northern Europe after the last ice age from 9,000BC onwards. Its orig...
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How an annual ‘wedding flight’ of 1,000 virgin queens is ensuring the revival of Europe’s dark bee The Belgian ceremony attracts beekeepers from the Netherlands, France and Germany keen to boost dark bee numbers and stop the spread of the hybrid honeybee E very summer, 1,000 virgin queens descend on the Belgian town of Chimay. During the “wedding flight”, a male attaches to the female. His endophallus (penis equivalent) is torn off and he falls to the ground and dies. Mission accomplished. Beekeepers come and pick up their fertilised queens in small colourful hives, driving them back home, sometimes more than 300km away. They will use the genetic material gathered in south Belgium to build new colonies in the Netherlands, France and Germany. The point of this annual pilgrimage – which started in 2000 – is to spread the genes of the endangered European dark bee ( Apis mellifera mellifera ), the native subspecies of the honeybee ( Apis mellifera ), which evolved to live alongside the flowers and climate of this region. It is one of at least 24 honeybee subspecies , and conservationists argue it is the only one that should be here. Beekeepers can reserve a place over the summer in the Maison de l’Abeille Noire (dark bee house) , rather like booking a camping spot. During their two-week visit, young queens will mate with up to 20 males, collecting millions of sperm. This reserve can last for several years in a pouch in her abdomen. The difference between farming dark bees and hybrid, or cross-bred, honeybees is like looking after a Scottish highland cow versus an intensive dairy cow, says Hubert Guerriat, a Belgian beekeeper and biologist who has been working with dark bees for 40 years and has been pivotal in driving the species’ return. “They are not the same animal.” For thousands of years, dark bees were widespread in the colder, humid parts of northern, central and western Europe. But their fortunes changed in the mid-20th century, as beekeepers imported hybridised...
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