The honeybees (Apis mellifera L) of Libya

We investigated honeybee populations of A. mellifera in Saharan and coastal locations in Libya to fill the North Africa gap of biogeography and distribution of honeybees, morphologically and using mtDNA analysis. It was found that Libyan honeybees are different, morphologically and genetically, from adjacent subspecies; and majority of Libyan bees (92%) belongs to oriental evolutionary lineage (O). As well as, it was found local impact of imported European honeybees. Further studies may to name the Libyan bees as a separate subspecies.