Native Irish Honey Bee Society
Available to Purchase Below
“The Native Irish Honey Bee, Apis mellifera mellifera” focuses exclusively on the native Irish honey bee, featuring narratives on its evolution, genetics, history and conservation, with practical “How-to” sections on bee improvement, plus real-life stories from commercial beekeepers. Its aims are to increase awareness of and appreciation for the precious resources imbued in the native black honey bee, to encourage beekeepers to choose native Irish honey bees and to discourage the buying and importation of non-native honey bees.
Latest NIHBS News
Hillsborough Honey Fair
The Hillsborough Honey Fair is back and bigger than ever! Discover over 50 high-quality local producers and food vendors with a wide range of local …
The Native Irish Honey Bee Society, Mayo BKA Honey Bee Improvement Workshop, Sunday 24th July 2022
Breaffy House Hotel & Spa ResortThe Native Irish Honey Bee Society, Castlebar, Breaffy House Improvement Workshop, Sunday 24th July 2022 at 13.30.https://www.eventbrite.ie/…/mayo-bka-bee-improvement…Agenda for the day:1300: …
Dromore Honey Bee Improvement & Queen Rearing Workshop & BBQ Banbridge County Down
The Native Irish Honey Bee Society. Dromore Honey Bee Improvement & Queen Rearing Workshop & BBQ Banbridge County DownSaturday, 20 August 2022 at 14:00Graceystown Road …
The Native Irish Honey Bee Society, Galway NUIG, Honey Bee Improvement workshop Sunday 10th July 2022
About this event 1-Colony Appraisal 2-Grafting with the Jenter Kit 3-Grafting with the Chinese Tool 4-How to use a Cloake Board 5-Apideas The National University …
NIHBS welcomes the Irish Seed Savers Association to the Conservation Area Family
‘The Irish Seed Savers Association (ISSA) have made a major contribution to the protection and enhancement of nature on farms, gardens and across Ireland for …
Press Release Apis mellifera mellifera
We all know how important honey bees are. You may not realise, however, that we in Ireland have our own subspecies of honey bee. The …
About NIHBS
The Native Irish Honey Bee Society was established to promote the conservation of Apis mellifera mellifera throughout the island of Ireland. The Society strives to raise public awareness of our native honey bee and its importance, and acts in an advisory capacity to groups and individuals wishing to promote and preserve it.
What Our Native Honey Bee Looks Like
Apis mellifera mellifera (aka European dark bee) can be distinguished from other subspecies by its stocky body, overall dark coloration, plus abundant thoracic and sparse abdominal hair, which is brown. There can be heavy dark pigmentation of the wings. Overall, when viewed from a distance, these bees should appear blackish or rich dark brown.
Bee Improvement
As part of our conservation mission, NIHBS advocates that Irish beekeepers buy native bees. To that end, NIHBS is affiliated with multiple bee breeding groups located around the country. Find out more about them by clicking the button below.
