The native Cypriot honeybee is under threat from imported strains, prolonged drought, and insufficient state support.
Experts warn that the loss of this local species could jeopardise pollination across the island and damage agricultural productivity.
A proposal to protect the Cypriot bee, Apis mellifera cypria , has been submitted to the agriculture department. The Pancyprian Beekeepers’ Association requested the creation of an accredited apiary to breed native queens for local
