The Sicilian bee is a subspecies of the common bee whose natural distribution area is the province of Trapani and Palermo in Sicily. It has an island origin like other subspecies, such as Apis mellifera ruttneri, Apis mellifera adamii, Apis mellifera cypria. Genetic differences between the subspecies Apis mellifera ligustica and Apis mellifera sicula have been investigated by morphological characterization and mitochondrial DNA.
Apis mellifera ligustica has mitochondrial haplotypes of European origin, while Apis mellifera sicula is characterized by an African genetic haplotype. This demonstrates the hybrid origin of both subspecies. In fact, it was thought that only the Iberian Peninsula had been a refuge for the bees of the Mediterranean group during the last glaciation in the quaternary. Today we know that Sicily played a similar role.
The Sicilian bee has unique adaptations to the Sicilian environment and plays a key role in pollination of the regional endemic flora. Interestingly, as the black bee shows high physical resistance compared to other subspecies, the unique evolutionary history of Apis mellifera sicula is reason to consider the subspecies as a genetic resource to be exploited, protecting it from the continuous import of other non-endemic subspecies.
