Advanced selection program for Authentic Apis mellifera carnica

In some seasons the honeydew production can far exceed the production of the floral honey.

Honeydew is a sweet, sticky liquid excreted by some types of insects such as aphids, mealybugs, and scale insects as they feed on plant sap. Bees collect honeydew to complement or replace nectar, and it can represent up to 70% of honey production in some years. Honeydew is rich in mineral content, amino acids, and may have stronger antibacterial properties than floral honey. Honeydew honey is made from sugary insect secretions harvested by honey bees, and it is often called forest honey or tree honey because bees collect the insect secretions from various plant surfaces such as leaves, stems, and bark. Honeydew is a benefit to bees and beekeepers, and it is consumed by many different insects, ants, and animals.

Carniolan bees collect honeydew as a supplement to their diet, especially during periods when floral sources are scarce.
The Carniolan bees’ ability to forage in temperatures too cold for other bee breeds makes them good producers of honey, and they are less likely to allow robbing in their colonies.
Honeydew is a valuable food source for bees, but it can be less digestible than flower nectar due to its high mineral content and other indigestible materials.

carnica Medokost®
Apis mellifera carnica MEDOKOŠT – Kozjansko, Slovenija
Certified queen bee breeding center for the Carniolan bee (Apis m. carnica)
Centre d’élevage de reines certifié pour l’abeille carniolienne
Zertifizierte Bienenköniginzuchtstation für die Krainer Biene.