We have been working with the Bee Improvement and Bee Breeders’ Association (BIBBA) to map locations of the native British black honeybee (Apis mellifera mellifera). These bees could hold the key to reversing the dramatic decline in honeybee numbers, as they have evolved characteristics that are suited to the UK’s climate, but experts had previously feared that the native black bees were now only found in remote northern areas.
