Symbols of Slovenia

Beekeeping

Carniolan honeybee on buckwheat.

Beekeeping holds a special place in Slovenia's economy as one of its oldest traditional crafts. According to statistics, Slovenians are a genuine beekeeping nation, as a relatively significant four out of every thousand of its residents are engaged in this activity. Beekeeping is a traditional agricultural activity in Slovenia and enjoys a status equal to that of other types of agricultural activities.

The Carniolan honeybee (Apis mellifera carnica) or the Carniolan grey bee, is an autochthonous species in Slovenia, which means that no other bee species are allowed to be kept. It is the only honeybee species protected by EU law and widely known among beekeepers as an industrious, modest, and tame honeybee species. It has an excellent sense of direction. It has adapted to our grazing and climatic conditions over thousands of years. It is also a very tame insect, which is the reason for its popularity.