Caucasian Bee (Apis mellifera caucasica)

The Caucasian bee (Apis mellifera caucasia, commonly spelled caucasica) is a dark grey, calm honey bee subspecies originating from the valleys of the Caucasus Mountains. It is known for having the longest tongue of all honey bee subspecies, collecting plenty of propolis and having a low swarming tendency. In Türkiye it lives in north-eastern Anatolia; Artvin and Ardahan are the protected gene centre of the Caucasian bee.

Where does the Caucasian bee live?

The natural range of the Caucasian bee is the Greater and Lesser Caucasus: Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Russia's North Caucasus region and north-eastern Türkiye. It is adapted to cool, wet, high-altitude valleys. The grey mountain Caucasian bee from the mountainous regions of Georgia is the best-known type worldwide.

In Türkiye, the Caucasian bee is found in pure form especially around Artvin (above all the Camili area, also known as Macahel) and Ardahan (especially Posof). These populations have been officially registered by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry.

The Caucasian bee's gene centre: Artvin and Ardahan

To keep the Caucasian bee pure, the entire provinces of Artvin and Ardahan, together with some villages in the Susuz district of Kars, are protected as a gene centre. Bringing bees, colonies or queens into these areas from other provinces is prohibited; taking bees out of the area is permitted. The rule is enforced under the legislation governing the control of animal movements.

This protection stems from the fact that the Caucasian bee is a valuable genetic resource not only locally but also for international breeding. Pure queens are produced in the region, and university research centres are working on the Caucasian bee.

How do you recognise a Caucasian bee?

• Colour: dark grey; the abdomen has no yellow band, or only a very faint one. Some workers show brownish spots on the first segments.
• Hair: short, dense, light grey hairs; a leaden appearance similar to the Carniolan bee.
• Tongue: distinctly long; a tongue length reaching about 7 mm in measurements is among the highest values of all honey bee subspecies.

What is the Caucasian bee's long tongue good for?

Tongue (proboscis) length determines which flowers' nectar a bee can reach. Plants with deep corolla tubes, especially red clover (Trifolium pratense), remain largely out of reach for short-tongued bees. The Caucasian bee makes better use of such sources than other subspecies.

That is why the Caucasian bee has an advantage on highland pastures and meadows rich in clover and deep-flowered legumes. The type of forage can be the deciding factor in choosing this subspecies.

Strengths of the Caucasian bee

• Calmness: one of the gentle subspecies; stays quiet on the comb.
• Long tongue: makes use of deep-flowered plants.
• Low swarming tendency: swarms markedly less than the Carniolan bee.
• Works in cool weather: being of mountain origin, it can forage in cool, overcast weather.
• Strong summer population: reaches the summer highland season with a large population, even if later.
• Propolis production: its heavy propolis collection is a source of income for beekeepers who produce propolis.

Weaknesses of the Caucasian bee

• Excessive propolis: its best-known drawback. Frame lugs, top bars and the inner cover get glued with propolis, making inspection and harvesting harder.
• Slow spring build-up: may miss early spring forage.
• Narrowing the entrance: it has a marked habit of reducing the entrance with propolis.
• Robbing: a tendency to turn on other hives when forage ends has been reported.
• Nosema susceptibility: some sources report that it is more susceptible to nosema, especially in long, damp winters.

Propolis: problem or opportunity?

Heavy propolis collection is a burden when it comes to inspections. For a beekeeper who produces propolis, however, it becomes a direct advantage. When a propolis trap (a perforated plastic grid) is placed on top of the hive, the bees fill the gaps with propolis; the grid is then chilled and flexed to release clean propolis. In this way, depending on the production plan, the drawback can be turned into income.

Management notes for Caucasian bees

1. Always keep your hive tool with you: you will need to scrape the bars at every inspection.
2. Plan support in spring: if you are targeting early forage, support build-up with pollen and syrup.
3. Plan around the summer highland season: the Caucasian bee shows its real strength on summer forage.
4. Watch out for winter damp: overwinter hives in a dry, well-ventilated spot and watch for signs of nosema.
5. Take precautions against robbing: reduce the entrance during a dearth and keep inspections short.
6. Make use of the propolis: with a propolis trap, harvest a product from work the bees would do anyway.