Irish experts seek to breed strong strain of honey bee

NUI Galway and the Native Irish Honey Bee Society are working to breed a bee strain tolerant to the Varroa Destructor parasite.

The parasite attaches to the body of the bee, and weakens it by sucking ‘bee blood’ or hemolymph.

A severe infestation can kill an entire colony. Since 1998, it has devastated the native Irish Honey Bee (Apis mellifera mellifera) according to NIHBS chairman Gerard Coyne, all feral bee colonies have died out.