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Beevi Project: Transnational Revitalization of Local Bee Ecotypes Via DNA Research to Stop High Colony Mortality
Summary
This project report described the BEEVI initiative, a transnational effort to revitalize local honeybee ecotypes using DNA research to address alarming colony mortality rates across Europe and Ukraine. The project linked bee die-offs to combined stressors including pesticides, parasites, and microplastics, proposing selective breeding of locally adapted genotypes as a long-term solution.
Honeybees’ populations are experiencing alarming global decline due to biotic factors (low resistance to Varroa destructor, Nosema ceranae, viruses) and abiotic stressors (pesticides, pollution, microplastics, climate change, habitat loss, monocultures, poor beekeeping). In Ukraine, mortality reached 20–25% in 2024, exacerbated by war-related disruptions, extreme weather, and reduced nectar sources. Similar trends are observed in Slovakia (20–45%) and Czechia (40%), with genetic homogenization and weakened local ecotypes. Despite their ecological importance as pollinators, native subspecies – especially Carpathian, Ukrainian, and Polissia bees – remain poorly characterized, with limited genetic data and unresolved taxonomic status. Uncontrolled cross-breeding and illegal import of foreign breeds, often maladapted to local conditions, further threaten biodiversity and food security. DNA analyses in multiple countries confirm rapid replacement of resilient native colonies by vulnerable introduced ones. Although Guidelines for Good Beekeeping Practice exist, they are often ignored.