Chimay "Wedding Flight", A spotlight on our European dark honey bee

Chimay "Wedding Flight", A spotlight on our European dark honey bee, Apis mellifera mellifera. Well done to Mellifica BE

The conservation and sustainable breeding of the European dark honey bee (Apis mellifera mellifera) continues to gain international attention. A recent article in The Guardian highlights the important work taking place in Chimay, Belgium, where the protected mating area established by Mellifica BE supports the breeding and preservation of this native subspecies. The annual “wedding flight”, where virgin queens mate with selected drones within the protected zone, plays an important role in strengthening dark bee populations across Europe. Read more:

• The Guardian article:https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/feb/23/dark-bee-species-belgian-beekeepers-honeybees-aoe?CMP=share_btn_url

• Mellifica BE – Chimay Protection Zone:https://www.mellifica.be/a/la-zone-de-protection-de-chimay/