2019Croatian Fauna - Carniolan Honey Bee - First Day Cover

The Carniolan honey bee (Apis mellifera carnica, Pollman, 1879), also known as the grey bee, is a subspecies of the European honey bee. It is native to southern Austria, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as parts of Serbia, Hungary and Romania. It is favoured among beekeepers for its non-aggressive behaviour and exemplary productivity. In the springtime, it typically develops bee communities rather quickly, thus allowing beekeepers to take advantage of the early honey pastures, producing high yields of honey. This is why beekeepers have spread this bee all over the globe, making it one of the most sought-after honey bee subspecies around the world. This bee pollinates fruit and arable crops, as well as wild plants, which makes it indispensable in preserving the biodiversity of our habitats.