The problem is not just about the honeybee. It is about also about all the wild bees and bumble bees. There are serveral hundred species of them in central europe and a good population of all kinds of different bees will ensure a pollination of all kinds of different plants under different conditions (some species or for example more tollerant to cold or warm weather, to long winters, don't have trouble with varoa mites etc.) and you also need an active beekeeper in close proximation. Of couse you need an intact ecosystem to have a diverse population of wild bees and the pestcides are a big issue for them too.
While we are at the topic: The honey bee native to central europe, from france to scandinavia and russia is the euopean dark honey bee Apis melifera melifera. It is very hardy to cold temperatures, probably pretty hardy to the varoa mite all the bee keepers have problems with and also don't swarm that much. However you rarely find this subspecie any more and mostly just in very cold climates like scandinavia, or in high altitudes. They were replaced by the supposedly more productive Apis melifera carnica subspecies or the "buckfast" hybrid. Since they are adapted to the climate south and east of the alps, they have more problems in the central european climate and or more vulnerable to any stressor, including pests and poisson.
Starting beekeeping is not that hard and does not need to be expensive. You don't have to buy all that professional equipment. Look for a "Top bar hive". It can be easily made from a few wooden boards and is therefore very cheap. Smaller quantities of honey can be extracted by mashing the honey comb up and letting the honey run off through a fine sieve. So no need for an expensive extractor also. Other important things you need is a protetive suit, a smoker (get a good one, you want to always have smoke ready when working with the bees), a flexible knife and of couse the bees. If you go to the local be keepers club you will get some very cheap, if not for free and also a great deal of knowledge. There are mostly old people in there and they are usually very happy about interested people asking questions.
The northern honey bee will of couse cost you a bit, because it is so rare and there a very few people breeding them. But it is a worthwhile investment, because you promote the native bee and therefore help to reestablish a healthy bee population.
If you have some free space (a small spot in the garden or even at a balcony or a roof is sufficient), the time and the interest to keep some bees, please think about it!
And if there any questions about this, ask them!
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Topic: Dramatic decline in Honeybee populations (Read 21379 times)