Sicamm

Societas internationalis pro Conservatione Apis Mellifera Mellifera. The last "in person" conference was held at the Häme University, Finland in 2018.

An international non-profit organisation, creating a network and information platform for organisations and scientists protecting the endangered Dark European Honey bee. Every two years, SICAMM (now SICAMM Foundation) has hosted conferences throughout Europe sharing expertise in identifying the subspecies correctly, it characteristics, and conservation. Sadly, the 2020 conference due to be held in

Ireland was cancelled due to Covid-19. And so, SICAMM Foundation's Board is delighted to be able to host an online conference and series of 20 weekly talks beginning October 23, 2021. What is the Dark European honeybee? Apis mellifera mellifera (Linnaeus 1758) is a subspecies and the northern geographical race of Apis mellifera, the western honeybee. It may be subdivided into many local ecotypes. Its various local names include:
- Dark European Honeybee (English)
- L’abeille noire (French)
- Die dunkle Biene (German)
- Det mörka Nordiska Biet (Swedish)

15/05/2026

Let us know where in the world you are and how the season is going for you so far… 🐝

03/05/2026

Comment your thoughts below… 🐝 👑

12/04/2026

Beekeepers do you use any technology to monitor your bees through winter?
Thermal cameras, hive sensors, weight scales or do you prefer a more hands-off approach?

We’re curious to hear what works for you and how you keep an eye on your colonies when it’s too cold to open them. 🌡️👀

25/03/2026

🐝 Early Spring Notes from the UK: The Dark Bee Begins to Stir

As temperatures nudge upward and daylight stretches a little longer, early signs of activity are appearing at the entrances of colonies across the UK.

Even on cooler days, brief bursts of sunshine are enough to tempt foragers out for orientation flights and the first pollen hunts of the season. Many beekeepers are reporting:

✨ Steady cleansing flights on mild afternoons
✨ Pollen returns from early sources like hazel, gorse, snowdrops and willow
✨ Cautious brood expansion in strong, well‑provisioned colonies
✨ Native bees’ characteristic thriftiness, helping them manage the season’s unpredictable start

Early spring remains a delicate time. With weather swings still ahead, careful monitoring, minimal disturbance and ensuring colonies have adequate stores are essential.

Here’s to a healthy start to the season for the resilient native dark bee and to all the beekeepers watching their apiaries slowly awaken. 🐝💛

19/03/2026

🌟 Meet Our Board Members 🌟
Norman Carreck - Science Board 🐝

I have been keeping bees since the age of 15, and for more than 20 years kept bees on a commercial scale. I have been a bee research scientist for the last 35 years, working on bee pathology, pollination ecology, bee breeding, bee behaviour and the effects of pesticides on bees. When I started beekeeping, I believed what I had been told, namely that there were no native bees in the UK because they had all been wiped out by “Isle of Wight Disease” in the early 20th century, and that anyway, bees brought from elsewhere are “better”. My views changed with the results of the BABE study in the early 2000s which for the first time showed that native bees did exist in the UK, with the efforts of Andrew Abrahams to conserve his dark bees on Colonsay, and the COLOSS Genotype x Environment Interactions experiment which consistently showed that locally adapted bees survive better than exotic ones. Working for many years on various pests and diseases on an international basis has also highlighted to me the risks of moving bees from one place to another.

13/03/2026

🐝 The European dark honey bee, Apis mellifera mellifera, Is Making a Comeback!

Growing awareness of the importance of protecting native biodiversity is sparking a renewed wave of interest in the Apis mellifera mellifera - our beloved native honey bee.

Scientists, conservationists and beekeepers across Europe are once again recognising the vital role this native subspecies plays in resilient ecosystems and sustainable beekeeping traditions.

At SICAMM, we’re excited to see this momentum building. The future of the European dark honey bee is still unknown but with some hard work and recognition it deserves, we're positive it will make a strong come back! 💛

20/02/2026

Honey bees have five eyes 👀🐝

Two large compound eyes on the sides of the head, each made up of thousands of tiny units (ommatidia) that detect movement, shapes and color.

Three simple eyes (ocelli) on the top of the head that sense light intensity and help with orientation and flight stability.

A particularly interesting fact: honey bees can see ultraviolet (UV) light, which humans cannot. Many flowers have UV patterns, often called nectar guides, that act like landing lights, directing bees straight to the nectar and pollen.

18/02/2026

How great is this picture from our friend Martin Feurer Mellifera CH, Switzerland!

If you love what we're doing find out more about how you can help us below.

HOW TO SUPPORT SICAMM:
🐝Become a member.
🐝Practical help, your speciality or expertise.
🐝Join our work teams.
🐝Offer financial support.
🐝Become a beekeeper of the dark European honey bee.

Website: https://sicamm.org
Email: [email protected]

16/02/2026

After the last ice age, the dark European honey bee, Apis mellifera mellifera, (also known as the black or the brown bee) one of the subspecies of the Western honey bee (Apis mellifera), extended its range across Northern and Western Europe. For the last one million years, it has evolved independently of other subspecies, except for A. m. iberiensis which shared the same refuge during the last glaciation period.

13/02/2026

The current situation 😢🐝

Existing populations of the dark European honey bee (Apis mellifera mellifera) in Europe are:

Endangered by imports - local populations of the dark European honey bee have been placed at risk due to the importation of non-native bees, although some populations remain largely intact across parts of the country.

Viable in reserves- local Apis mellifera mellifera (Amm), populations remain viable in some reserves, but they are under ongoing threat.

Strongly hybridised - Dark European honey bee populations have been replaced or severely hybridised by non-native subspecies and artificially bred hybrids. This is now the situation across most of the original distribution of the dark European honey bee.

Wild populations in forests. Fortunately, some Amm populations still exist locally as free-living colonies in large forested areas with limited commercial beekeeping activity.

Adres

SICAMM Foundation, Douwe Totlaan 27
West-Terschelling
8881CW

Website

http://www.sicamm.org/

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