Turkey registers honey bee with superior attributes

By Esber Ayaydin

IZMIR, Turkey (AA) - Turkey registered a honey bee species after a decade-long rehabilitation effort t to boost pine honey production.

Chief breeding officer at the Aegean Agricultural Research Institute Uzeyir Karaca told Anadolu Agency on Thursday the breeding began in 2008 to add superior attributes to honey making.

Named Efe, the bees' ability to make honey increased in Turkish labs in Izmir province.

"Efe has better overwintering skills and its honey product is 25 or 35 percent higher than the bees in this area," Karaca said.

Efe was registered in December 2018 by the Turkish Agriculture and Forestry Ministry.

Karaca said the bees formed 201 colonies and picked the best ones, adding they made 20 colonies including pure race bees for honey producers.

He said the species can do better overwintering, which means surviving winters, adding Efe can produce more pollen and royal jelly than the other types.