National Insect Initiative Postcard Unveiled in Partnership with HSBC Malta Foundation

The Foundation for Conservation of the Maltese Honey Bee (KNM), in partnership with HSBC Malta Foundation, is pleased to announce a second KNM postcard promoting the National Insect initiative.

The Maltese Honey Bee, scientifically known as Apis mellifera ruttneri, has evolved in isolation on the Maltese Islands, resulting in a unique subspecies found only in this archipelago. This endemic bee has distinct features, including a smaller size, darker colour, and a wider abdomen covered with long hair. However, its genetic purity has been threatened since the accidental introduction of the Varroa mite in 1992 and the subsequent importation of foreign honey bee stock. This hybridisation endangers its survival, highlighting the critical need for conservation efforts to preserve this locally adapted subspecies from extinction.

The Maltese Honey Bee is currently a candidate to be classified as a National Species, an initiative of the KNM Foundation. If successful, it would join only five other local species that hold this prestigious status.

The card features a fresh design with elements interlinked with Malta, such as the white and red colours of the Maltese flag and a detail from the Maltese Cross. The endemic Maltese Honey Bee is also depicted on a flower of the indigenous Mediterranean Thistle (Galactites tomentosa). A QR code on the postcard links to an educational video about the Maltese Honey Bee, launched by KNM last May.

The back side of the card displays a drawing of the Maltese Honey Bee by local artist and architecture student Karl Farrugia. The illustrated Maltese Honey Bee is shown on the endemic Maltese Pyramidal Orchid (Anacamptis pyramidalis urvilleana), a rare orchid species that blooms from early March to mid-April.

This A6 postcard has been sponsored by HSBC Malta Foundation, and will be made available from HSBC branches across Malta and Gozo starting this August. Additional copies will be distributed in schools once the new academic year begins in September.

Glenn Bugeja, representing the HSBC Malta Foundation, expressed, “We are proud to support the call for the Maltese Honey Bee to be declared the National Insect of Malta. We firmly believe that this elevated status would help raise awareness about this special pollinator, leading to better conservation efforts.”

Dylan Farrugia, President of the KNM Foundation, added, “As the initiative to declare the Maltese Honey Bee continues to gather traction, we are proud to once again partner with HSBC Malta Foundation, who have generously renewed their support for our cause.”

To stay up to date with the Foundation’s work, we warmly invite you to join our WhatsApp community. The smooth functioning of our organisation relies on financial resources, and your support is essential. Every contribution, no matter the size, makes a real difference in advancing our mission. You can help by joining the Foundation’s cause, become a supporter for just €10 a year or make a donation here: Support the Foundation.

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Il-Fondazzjoni HSBC Malta b’Impenn biex Tqajjem Kuxjenza dwar il-Konservazzjoni tan-Naħla Endemika Maltija

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Il-Fondazzjoni għall-Konservazzjoni tan-Naħla Maltija (KNM), flimkien mal-Fondazzjoni HSBC Malta, bi pjaċir tħabbar il-ħruġ ta’ kartolina ġdida A6 li tippromwovi l-Inizjattiva Nazzjonali dwar l-Insetti. Din l-inizjattiva għandha l-għan li tqajjem kuxjenza u żżid l-appoġġ għall- konservazzjoni tan-naħla endemika Maltija.

In-Naħla Maltija (Apis mellifera ruttneri), li hi sottospeċi unika li evolviet f’iżolament fil-Gżejjer Maltin, preżentament qed tiffaċċja theddida sinifikanti sforz l-ibridizzazzjoni u l-introduzzjoni aċċidentali tad-dudu tal-Varroa fl-1992. Għaldaqstant, kwalunkwè tip ta’ sforz biex dawn in- naħal ikunu konservati hu kruċjali biex din is-sottospeċi adattata lokalment tiġi ppreservata mill-estinzjoni.

Attwalment, in-Naħla Maltija hija kandidata bl-objettiv li tlun kklassifikata bħala speċi nazzjonali. Dan qed isir permezz ta’ inizjattiva tal-Fondazzjoni KNM. Jekk din il-kandidatura tkun ta’ suċċess, in-naħla tal-għasel Malti, tkun qed tingħaqad ma’ ħames speċi oħra lokali, li għandhom dan l-istatus prestiġjuż. Il-Fondazzjoni għall-Konservazzjoni tan-naħla Maltija
(KNM) hija impenjata biex tassigura l-preservazzjoni tan-naħla tal-għasel unika Maltija permezz tal-edukazzjoni, il konservazzjoni u promozzjoni.

F’impenn li jkunu enfasiżżati dawn l-isforzi, din il-kartolina ġdida, fuq quddiem turi n-naħla Maltija fuq fjura tax-xewka indiġena Mediterranja (Galactites tomentosa), filwaqt li fuq wara tal-kartolina wieħed jista’ jara din l-istess naħla tistrieh fuq l-orkidej piramidali endemiku Malti (Anacamptis pyramidalis urvilleana), b’xogħol ta’ tpinġija tal-artist u student tal-arkitettura, Karl Farrugia. Id-disinn tal-kartolina jintegra l-elementi simboliċi ta’ Malta, u jinkludu l-kuluri bojod u ħomor tal-bandiera Maltija u dettall mis-salib ta’ Malta. Wieħed jista’ jaċċessa din it- tpinġija permezz tal-kodiċi QR li jorbot ma’ vidjo edukattiv dwar in-Naħla Maltija, li huwa disponibbli fuq YouTube.

Din il-kartolina, sponsorjata mill-HSBC Malta Foundation, se tkun disponibbli fil-fergħat tal- HSBC madwar Malta u Għawdex minn dan ix-xahar stess, u se jkun hemm ukoll kopji addizzjonali li se jitqassmu fl-iskejjel fil-bidu tas-sena akkademika l-ġdida f’Settembru.

Glenn Bugeja, f’isem il-Fondazzjoni HSBC Malta qal, “għal darb’oħra ninsabu kburin li qed nappoġġjaw is-sejħa biex in-Naħla Maltija tiġi ddikjarata bħala l-Insett Nazzjonali ta’ pajjiżna. Aħna nemmnu bis-sħiħ li dan l-istatus elevat se jkun qed jgħin biex titqajjem kuxjenza dwar din id-dakkara speċjali, li fl-aħħar mill-aħħar iwassal għal sforzi aħjar ta’ konservazzjoni.”

Il-President tal-Fondazzjoni KNM, Dylan Farrugia, żied jgħid li “filwaqt li din l-inizjattiva sabiex tiġi rikonoxxuta n-Naħla Maltija qed tkompli toħloq interess u għarfien, aħna ninsabu kburin li għal darb’ oħra qed nikkolaboraw mal-Fondazzjoni HSBC Malta, u li b’mod ġeneruż ġeddew l-appoġġ tagħhom għall-kawża tagħna.”