Testing the resilience of Apis mellifera mellifera with other subspecies in Sweden: Nectar sources and mismatches in pollination timing during adverse weather

Abstract

The European dark honey bee (apis mellifera mellifera) is one of several honey producing Apis species and is considered to be the most economically important globally, for pollination services as well as for honey production .It plays a vital role in maintaining biodiversity by providing essential pollination services to numerous wild plants and crops. Its role as a pollinator supports the reproduction of both cultivated and wild plants, which, in turn, contributes to the stability and resilience of ecosystems. This research aims to investigate the resilience of apis mellifera mellifera with other subspecies such as Buckfast,carnica and ligustica and also what kind of nectar sources are used by these subspecies and how adverse weather affects bees foraging in honey yield. Samples were collected from various parts of Northern and central regions of Sweden such as Södertälje, Arboga, Västerås, Östervåla. Pollens were then observed from 18 different slides to see the abundance of different flora, around 33 different types of pollen were found. mellifera showed a little more resilience as compared to other subspecies; its foraging diversity was also higher as compared to other subspecies. The reason could be that mellifera is adapted to this climate as compared to Buckfast which is a hybrid species and carnica which originates from balkan region. This study helps us to identify the different subspecies behaviour in cold climates which in turn can help us to strategize for crop pollination stability, biodiversity support and bee conservation efforts particularly in Sweden.