The Yemeni bee occurs on the Arabian Peninsula and in adjoining areas. It is adapted to extreme heat and prolonged drought.

Characteristics

• Size: Small; among the smallest subspecies
• Colour: Yellowish
• Colony size: Small, with limited stores
• Temper: Variable, often defensive

Adaptations to extreme conditions

• Heat tolerance: It flies at temperatures where other subspecies stay in
• Small colonies: Fewer bees means less consumption during a dearth
• Strong tendency to abscond: Under prolonged drought the whole colony leaves
• Rapid cessation of brood rearing

Why small is an advantage

In an environment where forage can fail for months, a large colony is a liability. It consumes more than it can replace.

A small colony survives periods a large one does not. What is called low productivity elsewhere is here the reason the population exists.

Absconding

This is the most difficult trait for a beekeeper. A disturbed or starving colony leaves entirely and abandons the hive.

Management therefore focuses on minimal disturbance, timely feeding and providing shade.

Conservation value

Drought and heat tolerance are traits that gain importance in a warming climate. Populations like this are the reservoir in which they sit.

The general principle

A subspecies is selected for its own conditions. Used elsewhere it does not give the expected result — and conversely, an imported line does not automatically outperform the local bee here.