Voluntary Conservation Area
Beekeeping on the Llŷn Peninsula is shaped by something truly special: a long-standing population of locally adapted Welsh Black Bees that has survived here with minimal interference from imported strains. Many of these bees do not live in managed hives at all, but in wild colonies hidden in old trees, barns, chimneys, and stone buildings across the peninsula. These long-established wild populations have been living without treatments for decades, allowing natural selection to strengthen traits that help them thrive in our climate and withstand the pressures of varroa. As a result, most beekeeping within LLEBKA is carried out successfully without chemical treatments, making our area one of the leading examples of treatment-free, sustainable beekeeping in the UK.
Protecting this Unique Population of Bees...
Protecting this unique local population is at the heart of our association. Inspired by similar initiatives in Ireland, LLEBKA has established a Voluntary Conservation Area (VCA) to safeguard the native and near-native bees that live in our region. Research from Bangor University suggests that Wales — particularly North West Wales — still holds honey bees with high levels of Apis mellifera mellifera purity. These bees are not only part of our ecological heritage, but also a vital reservoir of genetics finely tuned to our landscape and shaped by generations of survival in both managed and wild colonies.
By encouraging beekeepers to keep and breed from local bees—and by discouraging the importation of non-native queens and colonies—the VCA helps maintain the integrity of these evolved traits. Imported bees may perform well in the short term, but they often struggle in our climate and can disrupt the stability of established local genetics. Supporting locally adapted, naturally varroa-resistant bees strengthens the resilience of our region as a whole, protects biodiversity, and promotes a sustainable, low-intervention approach to beekeeping that aligns with the values of LLEBKA and national organisations such as WBKA, BBKA, BIBBA, and SICAMM.
Voluntary Conservation Area
for the Native Welsh Honey Bee
A statement to beekeepers in Wales
The Llŷn & Eifionydd Beekeepers’ Association (LLEBKA) is pleased to announce the establishment of a Voluntary Conservation Area (VCA) to protect our locally adapted Welsh Black Bees (Apis mellifera mellifera, Amm). This initiative is inspired by similar efforts in Ireland, where 16 beekeeping associations have already declared VCAs for the native Irish honey bee. You can learn more about their work via the Native Irish Honey Bee Society: http://nihbs.org/
Why a VCA in Our Area?
Many Welsh beekeepers have long believed that our dark, locally adapted bees are descendants of the original native honey bee. Preliminary genetic research at Bangor University supports this view, showing high Amm purity in colonies across Wales—especially in our region (pers. comm. Dylan Elen, Bangor University).
These bees likely trace their ancestry back to populations that recolonised Wales after the last Ice Age, when lower sea levels connected us to mainland Europe. Remarkably, the bees thriving in our hives today match the bees surviving wild in local woods, tree cavities and old buildings. As a result, we have a rare and valuable population of the Northern European Dark Honey Bee—a subspecies now threatened throughout much of its natural range.
Protecting these bees aligns with the Convention on Biological Diversity (1992) and with the objectives of SICAMM, the international association dedicated to conserving the European Dark Bee: http://www.sicamm.org/Objectives.html
Why Imported Bees Are a Problem
Importing non-local bees poses two major risks:
Poor survival in Welsh conditions
Imported queens often appear productive in good summers but frequently fail to survive cold, wet winters.
Aggression in subsequent generations
Queens that begin calm can produce aggressive offspring once mated with local drones of different subspecies. These undesirable traits can persist for several generations, especially in areas lacking strong populations of locally adapted bees.
Hybridisation also threatens the genetic stability and finely tuned adaptations of our native colonies. Many new beekeepers learn this the hard way.
Support from Beekeeping Bodies
Both national and international organisations strongly support local adaptation:
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WBKA (Welsh Beekeepers’ Association) stated in its 2019 magazine:
“WBKA recommend sourcing locally adapted bees...” -
BBKA News (July 2020) reminded readers of its position discouraging imports from outside the UK.
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BIBBA advocates for conserving the native bee and summarises research showing that locally adapted bees consistently outperform imported strains: https://bibba.com/local-bees-better/
This is further supported by the large COLOSS Genotype–Environment Interactions study involving 621 colonies across 11 European countries.
The Situation in the UK
Over 150 years of imports have diluted native genetics in many regions. Yet pockets of native or near-native bees persist—including ours. In 2020 alone, more than 21,000 queen bees were imported into the UK from 18 EU countries (source: NBU BeeBase).
Read the report here.
This rising trend makes the creation of VCAs even more urgent.
Varroa Resistance in Our Region
Our area is recognised as one of the few regions in Wales and England where bees have developed natural resistance to varroa.
Most LLEBKA beekeepers maintain thriving colonies without miticides, as documented in:
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Natural Varroa-Resistant Honey Bees (Prof. Stephen Martin, Salford University)
https://www.bbka.org.uk/shop/bbka-special-edition-natural-varroa-resistant-honey-bees
North West Wales—including our area—as a major treatment-free region. The relationship between local adaptation and varroa resistance is not fully understood, but evidence suggests that stable, locally evolved colonies cope best with varroa long term.
A recent book by an LLEBKA member, Treatment-Free Beekeeping (Northern Bee Books), includes a chapter on “The Gwynedd Experience.”
What a VCA Means
A Voluntary Conservation Area is simple and inclusive. It:
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Encourages beekeepers to keep and breed from local bees
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Discourages the import of non-native queens and colonies
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Helps prevent the spread of pests and diseases (our region has had no EFB or AFB cases in 3 years)
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Protects biodiversity and strengthens our naturally varroa-resistant population
The Native Irish Honey Bee Society emphasises that VCAs require no formal structure—they are voluntary, community-led commitments to safeguarding local bees.
Conclusion
The LLEBKA Voluntary Conservation Area is rooted in a compelling ecological, genetic, and practical case: local bees survive better, adapt better, and form a crucial part of our natural heritage.
We invite beekeepers across the region to support this initiative and help protect the unique Welsh Black Bees of the Llŷn Peninsula and Eifionydd.
Originally published in Gwenynwyr Cymru / Welsh Beekeeper, Issue 211 (Spring 2021):
https://view.publitas.com/welsh-beekeeper/211spring2021/page/10-11
Voluntary Conservation Area FAQs
Q1
What is a Voluntary Conservation Area (VCA)?
A VCA is a community agreement among local beekeepers to keep and promote locally adapted Welsh Black Bees. It isn’t enforced by law — it’s a shared commitment to protect the bees that naturally thrive in our region.
Q2
Why has LLEBKA created a VCA?
The Llŷn Peninsula & Eifionydd are home to one of the strongest populations of native Welsh Black Bees in the UK, including wild colonies. Research from Bangor University shows high levels of Apis mellifera mellifera genetics here. The VCA helps protect this rare local heritage.
Q3
Why are imported bees discouraged?
Imported bees may struggle with the Welsh climate, bring pests or diseases, and dilute the genetics of our native bees. They can also lead to aggressive hybrid offspring in later generations. Local bees are calmer, hardier, and more reliable.
Q4
Is participation in the VCA compulsory?
No — it’s completely voluntary.
However, choosing local bees supports conservation, protects biodiversity, and strengthens the Welsh Black Bee population for future generations.
Q5
What makes Welsh Black Bees special?
They have evolved here for thousands of years, adapting to our weather, forage, and landscape. These native bees are known for:
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Strong overwintering ability
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Calm temperament
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Efficient foraging
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Natural varroa resistance in many local populations
Q6
What is natural varroa resistance?
Some local bees show behaviours that help them survive varroa mites without chemical treatments. North West Wales is recognised as a treatment-free region, and protecting these bees helps preserve their valuable genetics.
Q7
Where can I get locally adapted bees?
The LLEBKA Association Apiary breeds local Welsh Black Bees for members.
Several experienced local beekeepers also supply nucs and queens.
Buying local directly supports the conservation area.