Yemeni Bee

The Yemeni bee (Apis mellifera jemenitica) is the native honey bee subspecies of the Arabian Peninsula, East Africa and the Sahel belt; it is also known as the Arabian bee. It is recognised by its small build, light-coloured abdomen and above all its tolerance of extreme heat: it is considered the only honey bee subspecies able to get through long summers in which daily temperatures exceed 45 °C. Yemen's famous sidr honey is also produced largely by this bee.

Where does the Yemeni bee live?

Although its name comes from Yemen, its range is very wide. It occurs naturally in the following regions:

• Arabian Peninsula: Yemen, Saudi Arabia (especially the south-western mountains and the central region), Oman.
• Africa: Sudan, Chad, Somalia, the arid parts of Ethiopia and other areas of the Sahel belt.

Genetically it belongs to the African (A) lineage. Because it has spread across very different climates, it shows marked local differences; it should not be thought of as a uniform bee.

How do you recognise a Yemeni bee?

• Size: distinctly small; in comparisons with the Carniolan bee, forewing length was found to be shorter on average.
• Colour: much more yellow-orange on the abdominal segments than the Carniolan bee; the overall look is light-coloured.
• Comb cells: in keeping with its small body, its comb cells are also relatively small.

The small size, light colour and small cells are interpreted as adaptations that help reduce the heat load in hot weather.

How does it withstand heat?

Summer heat in the interior of the Arabian Peninsula is lethal for most bees of European origin. The traits that allow the Yemeni bee to survive under these conditions are morphological, behavioural and physiological:

• Small, light-coloured body: absorbs less heat and cools down more easily.
• Heat shock proteins: strong production of proteins that protect cells at high temperatures has been demonstrated.
• Foraging behaviour: it has a work pattern tuned to the heat; in spring, foraging stretches over a long period from first light until evening.
• Water collection: on hot days some foragers carry water instead of nectar; the inside of the hive is cooled by evaporation and wing fanning.
• Seasonal cycle: brood rearing is timed to the rainy periods that bring flowering; the colony shrinks in the dry period.

Honey sources: sidr and acacia

The main plants from which the Yemeni bee produces honey are the drought-tolerant trees and shrubs of the region:

• Sidr (Ziziphus spina-christi, a relative of the jujube): the famous sidr honey of Yemen's Hadramaut region comes from this tree. Flowering depends on rainfall.
• Acacia species (Acacia and related genera): an important nectar source in dry valleys.
• Caper (Capparis spinosa), milkvetch species, and, in irrigated farming, alfalfa, eucalyptus and sunflower.

Traditional and migratory beekeeping

In Yemen and south-western Saudi Arabia, traditional log hives are still widespread: hollowed-out tree trunks or mud cylinders are stacked horizontally on top of one another. Hives are moved in search of forage; in Saudi Arabia, beekeepers follow the flowering and practise migratory beekeeping across areas spanning hundreds of kilometres.

Beekeepers who have switched to modern framed hives have also begun to prefer the local bee. Research institutions support selection programmes with the local bee to preserve its heat tolerance.

Behaviour: gentle or defensive?

Older texts describe the Yemeni bee as "gentle and friendly"; this generalisation should be treated with caution. Like many subspecies of the African lineage, the Yemeni bee can be defensive when disturbed, may swarm frequently and may abandon its nest during a dearth. Behaviour varies from region to region and from colony to colony. Practical advice:

1. Open hives early in the morning or in the late afternoon; do not inspect in the midday heat.
2. Provide a constant, clean water source near the apiary.
3. Place hives in the shade; use light-coloured paint and good ventilation.
4. Accept the colony shrinking in the dry period as normal; prioritise checking stores and water over excessive feeding.

What it means for Türkiye

The Yemeni bee does not occur in Türkiye, but it is an instructive example for our southern regions, where summer temperatures are rising with climate change. Heat adaptation is a trait that can be developed through selection within local populations. The Syrian bee (A. m. syriaca), which occurs naturally in south-eastern Anatolia, and the hot-region ecotypes of the Anatolian bee are worth watching closely in this respect.