Carniolan bee (Apis mellifera Carnica) in Slovenia

Janez GREGORI

Janez POKLUKAR

Janez MIHELIČ

Breeding programme for the Carniolan Bee

4.1 Breeding programme

The following factors facilitate current implementation of the selection programme in Slovenia:

·       We have the autochthonous Carniolan Bee, there is no trace in it of other bee breeds, except for the influence of Italian bees in western Slovenia

·       the Carniolan Bee is protected from the influence of the neighbouring Italian bee in the northwest by the Alps and in the southwest by the „burja“ (a cold north wind);

·       Slovenia borders in the north and northeast on the Austrian federal provinces of Carinthia and Styria, where breeding of Carniolan Bees is legally prescribed, and the Carniolan bee predominates in border regions with neighbouring Croatia and Hungary;

·       There is a very rich tradition of breeding the Carniolan Bee, and beekeepers are adequately qualified;

The Animal Husbandry Act (Official Gazette RS 18/2002) in Article 61 gives all registered queen breeders special status in comparison with other beekeepers. In accordance with Article 62, these are entered in special records at the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food. In Article 68, the Carniolan Bee is included in the list of autochthonous breeds of domestic animals in Slovenia. In Article 70, it is stated unequivocally that in order to protect the existence of the autochthonous Carniolan Bee on the territory of the Republic of Slovenia, breeding of and trade in breeding material of other bee breeds are not allowed. The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food is obliged within a prescribed time limit after adoption of the act, to determine conditions in relation to breeding, movement and trade in bees and other bee breeding materials of the Carniolan Bee.   

14 - Carniolan queen on a comb

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