The educational video “Unique Insect: The Maltese Honey Bee,” produced by the Foundation, now includes subtitles in both Maltese and English! What do you know about the Maltese Honey Bee, Apis mellifera ruttneri? Its unique biodiversity? Its historical connection to the Maltese Islands? The challenges it faces? Its future prospects? This production delves into these aspects and more!
English Subtitles
[Unique Insect: The Maltese Honey Bee]
The Maltese Honey Bee!
Unique to the Maltese Islands!
Found nowhere else on Earth!
A treasure of natural heritage!
But what makes it unique?
Thousands of years ago, the Maltese Islands separated from the continental landmass,
and the existing local honey bee population became isolated as well.
Over time, it adapted to the local climate and habitats,
evolving unique characteristics that constituted its genetic make-up.
These characteristics made it different from other honey bees found elsewhere in the world.
In the 90s, scientific studies revealed
that it is a unique subspecies.
It was given the scientific name; ‘Apis mellifera ruttneri’.
It can withstand the dry Maltese summers
and has adapted its life cycle to coincide with the periods of abundant flowering.
The Maltese Honey Bee is a pollinating insect crucial for local biodiversity.
It plays an essential ecological role, benefiting both natural flora and agricultural products.
The Maltese Honey Bee and its related products have always shared an intimate connection with these islands.
In fact, the name ‘Malta’, most likely means ‘sweet honey’.
Man has long recognised the productivity of bees,
particularly for honey.
This led to the start of the beekeeping craft.
In Malta, this tradition goes back a long way.
For centuries,
local apiculture relied solely
on the Maltese Honey Bee.
However, the situation is not always as it seems.
The challenges it faces are numerous.
The importation of foreign honey bees poses a direct threat to the Maltese Honey Bee.
The hybridisation between the Maltese Honey Bee and the imported bees is
polluting its genetics and weakening its resilience.
Even its appearance is changing,
from black
to yellow.
Therefore, urgent action must be taken to conserve the Maltese Honey Bee
to ensure the protection of this special insect.
[Arnold Grech – Beekeeper]
The Maltese Honey Bee,
‘Apis mellifera ruttneri,’ which was named by me,
since in our study, it was my responsibility
to name it,
and it seemed fitting to honour
the German scientist
who dedicated his life
to studying honey bees.
The Maltese Honey Bee is facing
a significantly troublesome future.
When you have a Maltese queen bee in her prime, that is, between the first and third year,
it gathers more pollen and produces larger
volumes of honey than its Italian counterpart.
[Prof. David Mifsud – Academic]
The Maltese Honey Bee,
which evolved to our climate,
has been the subject of extensive scientific research,
which confirmed its distinct characteristics compared to other European honey bee subspecies.
Since it
adapted to the Maltese islands,
it is the superior bee
to rear in Malta.
It is much more resilient
to diseases,
and other threats, such as
the Oriental hornet, ‘Vespa orientalis’.
Given these positive attributes, it is clear why
one should continue to rear and work with the Maltese Honey Bee.
[Jorge Spiteri – Beekeeper]
The rearing of the local bee in Malta
is
undoubtedly
a sustainable basis
for
apicultural practices.
And the beekeeper
plays a crucial role in the conservation of the Maltese Honey Bee,
as beekeepers have a vested interest in maintaining healthy bees
and achieving
productive yields from their bees.
If we do not import bees and beehive related products,
we will be automatically
safeguarding our bees from pests and diseases that might come from abroad.
[Michaelangelo Muscat – Beekeeper]
If you’re not going to have healthy bees,
if you don’t have bees suitable for their environment,
what’s the purpose of having imported bees which die out?
Then you might as well not have had anything!
So there needs to be a certain harmony between
between the Maltese Honey Bee,
the beekeeper
and the environment, I believe these three elements
are
interlinked and indispensable.
[Simone Cutajar – Researcher]
When we mix the genetics of the Italian honey bee with those of the Maltese Honey Bee,
we weaken adaptations
that the Maltese Honey Bee currently has, that allow it to be more resistant
and better suited
to the Maltese local environment.
The major problem is
that when it is hybridised with the Italian honey bee,
its ability to survive is reduced,
and ultimately we end up losing the Maltese Honey Bee.
[Joseph Calleja – Tenor and Beekeeper]
When you have something endemic, something that is
specifically only found in Malta
and nowhere else,
then we must dedicate all our efforts to protect it
and we should give the highest protection
to the Maltese Honey Bee, so it continues to thrive
and we may enjoy it
for years to come.
Nature in Malta is scarce, and the little we have must be protected
at all costs.
If there is no conservation effort,
there is a great chance that the Maltese Honey Bee will be lost in the near future.
And because of this threat, the need was felt to establish
the Foundation for the Conservation of the Maltese Honey Bee.
[Dylan Farrugia – President of the Foundation]
The Foundation works to educate about the importance of this insect.
We encourage its rearing
and advocate for more research on it.
We stress for an action plan be drawn up to ensure
that this country’s future generations continue to enjoy this unique treasure.
For sustainable local apiculture, three pillars are necessary:
the Maltese Honey Bee as an essential part of the natural environment;
the heritage linked to it;
and its rearing.
Without any one of these pillars,
this sector collapses.
A study was conducted in collaboration with the University of Malta on the protection of the Maltese Honey Bee,
and concluded that the best course of action in the situation is to declare it as the National Insect.
In 2023, a formal request was made to the Maltese Environment and Resources Authority to initiate this process.
The benefits are numerous,
amongst which is the heightened national awareness of this endemic subspecies,
putting it on par with other national species like the Maltese Freshwater Crab
and the Blue Rock Thrush.
The beekeeper assumes the role of guardian of the National Insect,
embracing the numerous opportunities such a declaration entails.
And the Maltese Honey Bee becomes the preferred honey bee.
Thus, imports of foreign bees decrease
and the beekeeping sector becomes more sustainable.
The risk of accidentally introducing new diseases, as has happened in the past, is drastically reduced.
Beekeepers benefit from a bee that thrives with less effort,
lives longer, and produces more honey.
Maltese honey becomes a more prestigious local product,
derived not only from the flora of the Maltese islands
but also from the National Insect of Malta.
This initiative also creates new economic niches,
including quality tourism and green jobs linked to conservation.
Step by step,
this collective effort
leads to lower expenses and increased income for beekeepers rearing the Maltese Honey Bee.
This is a golden opportunity for Malta to serve as an example to other countries.
The Maltese Honey Bee is unique!
An important link in nature!
Only,
it is at risk of extinction!
Concrete action towards its protection is imperative!
We need to safeguard it!
Before it’s too late!
Maltese Subtitles
[Insett Uniku: In-Naħla Maltija]
In-Naħla Maltija!
Għal pajjiżna unika!
Ma tgħammar fl-ebda rokna oħra ta’ dinja!
Teżor tal-wirt naturali!
Imma x’jagħmilha unika?
Il-gżejjer Maltin eluf ta snin ilu infirdu mill-bqija tal-kontinenti
u n-naħla tal-għasel li kien hawn spiċċat iżolata wkoll.
Biż-żmien adattat għall-klima u l-ambjenti naturali lokali
tant li żviluppat karatteristiċi uniċi li tnaqqxu fil-ġenetika.
U għamluha differenti mill-bqija tan-naħal tal-għasel madwar id-dinja.
Fid-disgħinijiet ġiet studjata
u nstab li hi sottospeċi unika.
Ingħata l-isem xjentifiku, ‘Apis mellifera ruttneri’.
Tiflaħ għas-sjuf niexfa Maltin
u dawret iċ-ċiklu tagħha madwar iż-żminijiet meta l-aktar ikun hawn abbundanza ta’ fjuri.
Għan-natura lokali in-Naħla Maltija hi importanti ħafna bħala insett dakkar.
Taqdi rwol ekoloġiku kemm għall-flora naturali kif ukoll għall-prodotti agrikoli.
In-Naħla Maltija u l-prodotti li nieħdu minnha minn dejjem kellhom rabta intima ma’ dawn il-gżejjer.
Biss biss, l-isem ‘Malta’ aktarx ifisser għasel ħelu.
Il-bnedmin ilhom li għarfu l-bżulija tan-naħla,
speċjalment għall-produzzjoni tal-għasel.
U minn hemm bdiet is-sengħa ta’ trobbija.
F’Malta din it-tradizzjoni tmur lura għexieren ta’ snin.
Għal sekli sħaħ
l-apikultura lokali kienet tiddependi biss
fuq in-Naħla Maltija.
Però, mhux kollox ward u żahar.
L-isfidi għaliha huma ħafna.
L-importazzjoni tan-naħal tal-għasel barrani hija theddida diretta għan-Naħla Maltija.
It-taħlit bejn il-popolazzjoni Maltija u n-naħal importat
qed iwassal għall-kontaminazzjoni tal-ġenetika u qed idgħajfilha r-reżiljenza.
Saħansitra d-dehra tagħha qed tinbidel:
minn sewdenija
għal safranija.
Għalhekk trid tittieħed azzjoni urġenti favur il-konservazzjoni tan-Naħla Maltija
ħalli dan l-insett speċjali nipproteġuh.
[Arnold Grech – Naħħal]
In-Naħla ta’ Malta
l-‘Apis mellifera ruttneri’ li jien tajtha isimha
għax fl-istudju li għamilna waqa’ fuqi
x’isem ser nagħtuha
u jiena deherli li għandha nagħtuha
lil dak ix-xjentist Ġermaniż
li għamel għomru kollu jistudja
fuq il-kwalità tan-naħla.
In-Naħla Maltija qed tiffaċċja
inkwiet kbir fil-futur.
Meta jkollok reġina ta’ Malta u tkun fl-aqwa tagħha, bejn l-ewwel u t-tielet sena,
‘pollen’ iġġib fl-ammont iktar mit-Taljana.
Fl-ammont ukoll l-għasel.
[Prof. David Mifsud – Akkademiku]
In-Naħla ta’ Malta
li evolviet għall-klima tagħna,
kien hemm xogħol xjentifiku kbir fuqha
u sabu li din hija differenti minn sottospeċi ta’ naħal ieħor li hemm fl-Ewropa.
Hija naħla li
la addattat ruħha għall-gżejjer Maltin
hija iktar tajba
biex trabbieha f’Malta.
Hija ħafna iktar reżiljenti
għall-mard,
għal ħafna affarijiet, anke pereżempju
l-‘Oriental hornet’, il-‘Vespa orientalis’.
Jiġifieri hemm dawn l-affarijiet kollha pożittivi għalfejn wieħed għandu
jkabbar u jkompli jaħdem bin-Naħla Maltija
[Jorge Spiteri – Naħħal]
It-trobbija tan-naħal lokali ġewwa Malta
hija
indubjament
bażi sostenibbli ta’ kif
wieħed
jaħdem fil-apikultura.
U n-naħħal
huwa kruċjali biex ikompli jgħin il-konservazzjoni tan-Naħla Maltija,
għaliex in-naħħal għandu interess li jkollu naħal b’saħħtu
u għandu interess ukoll
li jieħu produzzjoni min-naħal li jkun qed irabbi.
Jekk aħna ma nimportawx affarijiet li għandhom x’jaqsmu man-naħal, kif ukoll in-naħal,
awtomatikament
qegħdin nissalvagwardjaw in-naħal minn pesti u mard li jista’ jiġi minn barra.
[Michaelangelo Muscat – Naħħal]
Jekk int mhux ser jkollok naħal b’saħħtu,
jekk mhux ser ikollok naħal addattat għall-ambjent,
imbilli ikollok in-naħal isfar u dan ser imutlek
seta’ ma kellek xejn!
Allura hemm din, irrid ikun ċertu armonija bejn
in-Naħla Maltija,
il-‘beekeeper’
u l-ambjent, naħseb li dawn huma tlett ħoloq
li huma
importanti imenns flimkien.
[Simone Cutajar – Riċerkatriċi]
Meta qegħdin inħalltu l-ġenetika tan-naħla Taljana man-Naħla Maltija
qed ineħħu ċertu adattazzjoni
li n-Naħla Maltija għandha bħalissa li tħallieha biex tkun iktar reżistenti,
biex tħallieha li tkun aktar adattata
għall-ambjent ta’ Malta.
Il-problema l-kbira imma hija li
meta qegħdha titħallat man-naħla Taljana
qegħdha tonqos l-abbiltà tagħha biex tgħix
u għaldaqstant nispiċċaw nitilfuha n-Naħla Maltija.
[Joseph Calleja – Tenur u Naħħal]
Meta għandek xi haġa endemika, xi haġa li hija
endemika tfisser speċifika biss,
ma tinstab imkien aktar, ħlief hawn Malta, allura
għandna nagħmlu ħilietna kollha biex nipproteġuha
u għandna ovvjament nagħtu l-iktar protezzjoni għolja
lin-Naħla Maltija biex tkompli titkattar u nkomplu
ingawduha għal
jekk Alla jrid għall-eluf ta’ snin oħra.
Tant għandna ftit natura Malta, li dak li għandna rridu nipproteġuh
b’kull mezz li għandna.
Jekk ma jkunx hemm sforz ta’ konservazzjoni
fi ftit ta’ snin oħra hemm ċans kbir lin-Naħla Maltija tinqered.
U minħabba din it-theddida inħass il-bżonn li titwaqqaf
il-Fondazzjoni għall-Konservazzjoni tan-Naħla Maltija.
[Dylan Farrugia – President tal-Fondazzjoni]
Il-Fondazzjoni taħdem sabiex teduka dwar l-importanza ta’ dan l-insett.
Ninkoraġġixxu t-trobbija tagħha
u ninsistu fuq aktar riċerka fuqha.
Nisħqu li jitfassal pjan ta’ azzjoni sabiex
il-ġenerazzjoni futuri f’dan il-pajjiż jibqgħu jgawdu minn dan it-teżor uniku.
Is-settur tal-apikultura biex ikun sostenibbli, irid iserraħ fuq tlett pilastri:
in-Naħla Maltija bħala parti essenzjali tan-natura;
il-patrimonju marbut magħha;
u t-trobbija tagħha.
Mingħajr imqar wieħed minnhom
dan il-qasam jogħtor.
Sar studju mal-Università ta’ Malta dwar il-protezzjoni tan-Naħla Maltija
u wera li l-aħjar pass fis-sitwazzjoni hu li tiġi ddikjarata l-Insett Nazzjonali.
F’2023 saret talba lill-Awtorità tal-Ambjent u Riżorsi biex jibda’ dan il-proċess.
Il-benefiċċji huma bosta
fosthom li jisaħħaħ l-għarfien nazzjonali ta’ din is-sottospeċi endemika
fuq l-istess livell bħall-Qabru
u l-Merill.
In-naħħal jieħu rwol ta’ gwardjan tal-Insett Nazzjonali
bl-opportunitajiet kollha li din l-inizjattiva ser iġġib magħha
u n-Naħla Maltija ssir in-naħla tal-għasel preferuta.
Allura l-importazzjoni tan-naħal barrani tonqos
u s-settur tal-apikultura ssir iktar sostenibbli.
Ir-riskju li jidħol mard ġdid, b’mod aċċidentali kif ġara fil-passat, jonqos drastikament.
In-naħħala jibdew igawdu min-naħla li tirnexxi aktar u b’inqas xogħol
għax tgħix aktar fit-tul u tagħmel aktar għasel.
L-għasel Malti jiżdiedlu l-prestiġju
għax isir prodott lokali, derivat mhux biss mill-flora tal-gżejjer Maltin
imma wkoll mill-Insett Nazzjonali ta’ Malta.
Din l-inizjattiva toħloq ukoll niċeċ ekonomiċi ġodda
fosthom fit-turiżmu ta’ kwalità u xogħolijiet ħodor marbuta mal-konservazzjoni.
Pass pass
dan l-isforz kollettiv
għandu jwassal f’inqas spejjez u aktar dħul għal min irabbi n-Naħla Maltija.
Din opportunità tad-deheb biex Malta sservi ta’ xempju għall-pajjiżi oħra.
In-Naħla Maltija unika!
Ħolqa importanti tan-natura!
Biss,
f’riskju ta’ estinzjoni!
Azzjoni konkreta lejn il-protezzjoni tagħha hija urġenti!
Jeħtieġ li nħarsuha!
Qabel taħarbilna minn idejna!
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