For the first time, the red dwarf honeybee has established a colony in Europe, researchers report.

Native to Asia, Apis florea was discovered encircling a tree branch, with the colony containing over 2,000 adult bees. Local beekeepers and conservationists are alarmed, fearing potential harm to native bee species.

“It is concerning that Apis florea has been found in Malta,” said Dave Goulson, a professor of biology at the University of Sussex, who was not involved in the research. “Apis florea is likely to compete for pollen and nectar with our native pollinators, a group of insects that are already in decline. It is also very likely that these bees will be carrying multiple diseases which European bees may have little resistance to.”

While the red dwarf bee had previously spread to the Middle East and northeast Africa, it had never been recorded in Europe until now.

“If it is in Malta, this is the first occurrence of a honeybee in Europe that is not the western hive bee, Apis mellifera,” Francis Ratnieks, a British entomologist and emeritus professor of apiculture at the University of Sussex, who was not involved in the research, said.

DNA testing confirmed the species, prompting its immediate removal and destruction. However, researchers, writing in the Journal of Apicultural Research, suspect that some bees may have already left the hive to start new colonies.

The colony’s location near Malta’s main port at Birżebbuġa suggests the bees might have arrived on a commercial vessel.

“This is one of the main (and faster) routes through which different subspecies of Apis mellifera, as well as other bee, wasp and other flying insect species can move from their native ranges to more remote locations,” said Juliana Rangel, a professor of apiculture at Texas A&M University, who was not involved in the research.

According to researcher Rangel, this discovery is another example of species shifting to new regions due to climate change and rising temperatures.

The team notes that Malta’s mild winters, as well as similar climates across southern Europe, may support the survival of this invasive species.

They also highlight that the red dwarf honeybee has been found in Israel, indicating its growing range. Conservationists are now monitoring for further colonies to prevent the species from spreading further into Europe.

“If it can live in Israel, I dare say it can do fine in Malta,” said Ratnieks.

It could be “a matter of just a few years” for this species to spread to another location, Rangel said. “Given the large number of islands in the Mediterranean that are relatively near each other, and the fact that the continental land is also so nearby, it is very plausible that more of these incursions will occur in the future, threatening our biodiversity in ways that we may not even yet understand.

“The only thing that we can do is to be vigilant, report any sightings of specimens or swarms that appear different or new, remove the specimens as soon as they are positively identified, search the vicinity for other specimens, and continue with monitoring efforts, especially in ports of entry where swarms can be travelling on ships.”

 

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