Saharan bee

Scientific name: Apis mellifera sahariensis
Regions: Southern Tunisia (Oases of Tozeur, Nefta, Kebili, Gabès)

Domestic bee (social)

Indigenous and threatened (very localized)

Saharan / Hot arid

Spring (flowering of oasis fruit trees and date palms) and autumn. Reduced activity during the hottest summer months (except early morning) and in winter.

Rare / Critically endangered in Tunisia due to hybridization with the Tellian bee introduced by transhumant beekeepers.

Size

11 - 13 mm (slightly smaller and thinner than intermissa)

Color

Very distinctive bright orange-yellow abdomen on the first 2 or 3 segments, legs and thorax covered with light hair.

Particularities

Long tongue (about 6.5 mm) allowing it to forage on deeper corollas.

Aggressiveness

Very low. Extremely gentle bee, easy to handle without smoke or heavy protection.

Swarming

Low to moderate. Regulates its population well according to the volume of its hive.

Propolis use

Low.

Robbing

Low.

Perfect adaptation to desert conditions. Capable of flying at temperatures above 45°C. Tolerates water scarcity by recovering moisture from oases. Capable of traveling very long distances to find resources.

Highly sought after for its gentleness and tolerance to extreme heat. However, its preservation in Tunisia requires isolated mating stations in the desert to avoid hybridization with the black Tellian bee. Excellent for oasis beekeeping (date palm honey, alfalfa, henna).

Essential pollinator of underlying oasis crops and pre-desert wild flora.