Swiss Black Bee

Slow Food Presidium

Switzerland

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Honey

Insects

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Swiss Black Bee

The Swiss black bee (Apis mellifera mellifera), present in the country since the last Ice Age, has adapted perfectly to the climate and flora of the Alps and their foothills.
Until a few generations ago, it was the only species found in central Europe, but it suffered a crisis in the 19th century when other bee populations were introduced to Switzerland, including the Carniolan bee (Apis mellifera carnica Pollman) from Austria and the Balkans and the Italian bee (Apis mellifera ligustica) from the Mediterranean. Their introduction immediately proved a mistake, because the species and their resulting hybrids showed a strange aggressiveness and adapted poorly to the area. The importation of other types of bee gradually fell, and today the problem does not come from the Italian bee, which is no longer raised by Swiss beekeepers, but from the Carniolan and the Buckfast (from Northern Europe), which are still present and whose morphological differences are not so evident.
The distinctive feature of the black bee is the dark color on the back of the body, which helps the insect soak up warmth from the sun, even when its rays are weak. Unlike other types, the bee flies in cooler periods, even close to winter. It is tolerant of low temperatures and has a wide flying range, visiting a great variety of flowers from early morning until late evening. When pure-bred, the bee has a very placid nature.
Feeding on nectar and pollen from a much larger number of flowers than normal, the black bee produces a honey rich in complexity, with an intense aroma and an especially balanced flavor.
The honey is traditionally extracted in the spring to get the floral essences, and in the summer for the forest essences. Honey production does not continue beyond July; the beekeepers leave the rest of the harvest to the bees so they can build up their winter stocks.

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After decades of decline, many beekeepers are now rediscovering this ancient and hardy bee, and are working to maintain its purity. Some years ago, the beekeepers, together with Pro Specie Rara (a non-profit organization dedicated to dedicated to the preservation of endangered domestic species) launched a project to revive the bee. In the 1990s, they joined together in the Black Bee Association, which now has over 300 members around Switzerland. Anyone who owns black bees can join the association, irrespective of the bees' level of purity.
The Presidium involves 12 beekeepers who have signed a production protocol and who have at least 75 percent genetically proven pure-bred black bees. These small-scale producers, who generally have between 6 and 30 families, sell their honey under a single label. The objective of the Presidium and the association is to safeguard the bee, creating protected zones for its pure-bred reproduction. This has already been done in the canton of Glarus, and protected regions will also be created in Sargans and the Val Müstair in the future.

Production Area
Central Switzerland

Presidium supported by
Coop Switzerland
Andrea Ammann
Glaubtenstr. 101
8046 Zürich
tel.+41 433004800/+41 799361291
a.ammann@gmx.net

Stefan Bernet
Riedenstr. 51
8737 Gommiswald
tel. +41 762785286
stefan.bernet78@hotmail.ch

Emil Breitenmoser
Weissbadstrasse 13a
9050 Appenzel
tel. +41 717875653
breitenmoser@mellifera.ch

Laurenz Diethelm
Poststr. 2
8406 Winterthur
tel. +41 788981126
laurenz.diethelm@bluewin.ch

Emil Feurer
Stationstrasse
9470 Buchs
tel. +41 817565209
emil.feurer@gmail.com

Balser Fried
Gelalunga 6
9478 Azmoos
tel. +41 817831351
balser.fried@bluewin.ch

Ernst Hämmerli
Gostel 256
3234 Vinelz
tel. +41 323381923
ernsthaemmerli@bluewin.ch

Werner Hardegger
Möösli
9473 Gams
tel. +41 817711069
wernerhardegger@bluewin.ch

Oliver Haymoz
Mühlerain 3
8706 Mellen
tel. +41 449235959/+41 774174059
o.haymoz@hispeed.ch

Markus Hirt
Eggstr. 111
5732 Zetzwil
tel. +41 627732787/+41 793371156
kusihirt@bluewin.ch

Linus Kempter
Ahornstr. 7
9533 Kirchberg
tel. +41 719311652/+41 788437829
linuskempter@bluewin.ch

Robert Knobel
Grossstein 3
8756 Mitlödi
tel. +41 556444159/+41 796906733
r-knobel@bluewin.ch

Daniel und Christine Künzler
Adlenbach 13
8775 Luchsingen
tel. +41 556431739/+41 797108324
famkuenzler@gmx.ch

Adrian Loretz
Hauptstrasse 33
3284 Fräschels
tel. +41 792628592
o.loretz@watersys.ch

Duri Prevost
Funtauna 243
7537 Müstair
tel. +41 818585405
d.prevost@bluewin.ch

Thomas Ragettli
Via Sulten 14
7017 Flims Dorf
tel. +41 819111425/+41 792377879
ragettli@bluewin.ch

Olivia Romanelli
Mutschellenstrasse 126
8033 Zürich
tel. +41 444810321/+41 765750321
o@romanelli.ch

Hans Roth
Luthernweg 16
6144 Zell
tel. +41 9881274
hansroth61@bluewin.ch

Jürg Röthlisberger
Zürcher Bienenfreunde
Usterstrs. 55
8308 Illnau
tel. +41 523461331/+41 794352410
j.roethlisberger@zuercher-bienenfreunde.ch
jro@fabrimex-system.ch

Albert Schneider
Im Sunneberg 1
8165 Schöfflisdorf
tel. +41 448561182
alb.schneider@bluewin.ch

Reto Soland
Gaicht 19
2513 Twann
tel. +41 323333222/+41 795411718
info@imkerei-soland.ch

Werner Walker
Stockengasse 8
9472 Grabs
tel. +41 817713915
vreniwalker@gmx.ch

Thomas Zimmermann
Obere Dägelmattstrasse 4
5737 Menziken
tel. +41 627713565/+41 792371657
zimmermann.thomi@gmail.com|
Producers’ Coordinator
Balser Fried
tel. +41 817831351
balser.fried@bluewin.ch

Slow Food Coordinator
Rainer Riedi
tel. +41 812522959
rainer.riedi@slowfood.ch
www. slowfood-grischa.ch
After decades of decline, many beekeepers are now rediscovering this ancient and hardy bee, and are working to maintain its purity. Some years ago, the beekeepers, together with Pro Specie Rara (a non-profit organization dedicated to dedicated to the preservation of endangered domestic species) launched a project to revive the bee. In the 1990s, they joined together in the Black Bee Association, which now has over 300 members around Switzerland. Anyone who owns black bees can join the association, irrespective of the bees' level of purity.
The Presidium involves 12 beekeepers who have signed a production protocol and who have at least 75 percent genetically proven pure-bred black bees. These small-scale producers, who generally have between 6 and 30 families, sell their honey under a single label. The objective of the Presidium and the association is to safeguard the bee, creating protected zones for its pure-bred reproduction. This has already been done in the canton of Glarus, and protected regions will also be created in Sargans and the Val Müstair in the future.

Production Area
Central Switzerland

Presidium supported by
Coop Switzerland
Andrea Ammann
Glaubtenstr. 101
8046 Zürich
tel.+41 433004800/+41 799361291
a.ammann@gmx.net

Stefan Bernet
Riedenstr. 51
8737 Gommiswald
tel. +41 762785286
stefan.bernet78@hotmail.ch

Emil Breitenmoser
Weissbadstrasse 13a
9050 Appenzel
tel. +41 717875653
breitenmoser@mellifera.ch

Laurenz Diethelm
Poststr. 2
8406 Winterthur
tel. +41 788981126
laurenz.diethelm@bluewin.ch

Emil Feurer
Stationstrasse
9470 Buchs
tel. +41 817565209
emil.feurer@gmail.com

Balser Fried
Gelalunga 6
9478 Azmoos
tel. +41 817831351
balser.fried@bluewin.ch

Ernst Hämmerli
Gostel 256
3234 Vinelz
tel. +41 323381923
ernsthaemmerli@bluewin.ch

Werner Hardegger
Möösli
9473 Gams
tel. +41 817711069
wernerhardegger@bluewin.ch

Oliver Haymoz
Mühlerain 3
8706 Mellen
tel. +41 449235959/+41 774174059
o.haymoz@hispeed.ch

Markus Hirt
Eggstr. 111
5732 Zetzwil
tel. +41 627732787/+41 793371156
kusihirt@bluewin.ch

Linus Kempter
Ahornstr. 7
9533 Kirchberg
tel. +41 719311652/+41 788437829
linuskempter@bluewin.ch

Robert Knobel
Grossstein 3
8756 Mitlödi
tel. +41 556444159/+41 796906733
r-knobel@bluewin.ch

Daniel und Christine Künzler
Adlenbach 13
8775 Luchsingen
tel. +41 556431739/+41 797108324
famkuenzler@gmx.ch

Adrian Loretz
Hauptstrasse 33
3284 Fräschels
tel. +41 792628592
o.loretz@watersys.ch

Duri Prevost
Funtauna 243
7537 Müstair
tel. +41 818585405
d.prevost@bluewin.ch

Thomas Ragettli
Via Sulten 14
7017 Flims Dorf
tel. +41 819111425/+41 792377879
ragettli@bluewin.ch

Olivia Romanelli
Mutschellenstrasse 126
8033 Zürich
tel. +41 444810321/+41 765750321
o@romanelli.ch

Hans Roth
Luthernweg 16
6144 Zell
tel. +41 9881274
hansroth61@bluewin.ch

Jürg Röthlisberger
Zürcher Bienenfreunde
Usterstrs. 55
8308 Illnau
tel. +41 523461331/+41 794352410
j.roethlisberger@zuercher-bienenfreunde.ch
jro@fabrimex-system.ch

Albert Schneider
Im Sunneberg 1
8165 Schöfflisdorf
tel. +41 448561182
alb.schneider@bluewin.ch

Reto Soland
Gaicht 19
2513 Twann
tel. +41 323333222/+41 795411718
info@imkerei-soland.ch

Werner Walker
Stockengasse 8
9472 Grabs
tel. +41 817713915
vreniwalker@gmx.ch

Thomas Zimmermann
Obere Dägelmattstrasse 4
5737 Menziken
tel. +41 627713565/+41 792371657
zimmermann.thomi@gmail.com|
Producers’ Coordinator
Balser Fried
tel. +41 817831351
balser.fried@bluewin.ch

Slow Food Coordinator
Rainer Riedi
tel. +41 812522959
rainer.riedi@slowfood.ch
www. slowfood-grischa.ch

Territory

StateSwitzerland
RegionGlaris

Other info

CategoriesHoneyInsects