SICAMM Pre-Publication Conservation and Restoration Statement - Poster

Credit: Jan Gutzeit, Der Bundesverband Dunkle Biene Deutschland e.V. Germany

The dark European honey bee (Apis mellifera mellifera) is a living link to Europe’s natural heritage — and its future depends on our collective action. SICAMM’s new Pre-Publication Statement for the Conservation and Restoration of the Dark European Honey Bee, presented at Apimondia 2025, offers a science-based framework to reverse decades of genetic erosion and habitat loss.

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The Background

After the last ice age, Apis mellifera mellifera spread throughout Northern and Western Europe, adapting to diverse climates and ecosystems. For over a million years it evolved largely independent of other subspecies, developing traits that make it uniquely resilient to local conditions.Today, however, importation of non-native bees and hybridisation with commercial strains threaten this genetic integrity across much of its range.

Four Scenarios for the Current Situation

The Statement identifies four real-world conditions faced by native populations today:

1. Endangered by imports – local populations remain largely intact but are under pressure from non-native introductions.

2. Viable in reserves – some populations survive in protected zones but remain vulnerable.

3. Strongly hybridised – native genes have been overrun or diluted across most of Europe.

4. Free-living forest populations – small, wild colonies persist in remote areas, offering vital genetic refuges.

   
   

Five Key Tools for Conservation

To address these scenarios, the Statement outlines five practical tools for governments, beekeepers, and NGOs:

1. Ban non-native imports. A strategic ban is the single most effective step toward protecting genetic integrity.

2. Create conservation reserves. Establish core areas and buffer zones following the FedCAN model (fedcan.org).

3. Restore dark bee alleles. Distribute locally adapted queens to increase native genetic presence outside reserves.

4. Protect wild colonies. Preserve free-living populations in forests as sources of natural resistance.

5. Encourage verified distribution. Provide genetically verified colonies with training and monitoring programs.

These recommendations combine scientific insight with practical field experience to create a living strategy for restoration and resilience.

A Shared Responsibility

The Statement is not a rulebook but a framework — an invitation for collaboration among scientists, beekeepers, and policy leaders. It encourages regional adaptation of guidelines and local ownership of solutions. Above all, it recognises that long-term success depends on unity of purpose across Europe.

How to Support This Work

SICAMM invites everyone who cares about pollinator health and biodiversity to join this effort:

• Read and share the Statement.

• Promote import controls and reserve creation in your region.

• Support scientific monitoring and community outreach.

• Join SICAMM as a member or affiliate organisation.

💡 Explore the Statement and related resources at www.sicamm.org/statement-download or contact info@sicamm.org.

This Pre-Publication Statement represents a milestone in SICAMM’s mission to protect the dark European honey bee — a species whose future depends on decisions made today.