Turkey registers honey bee with superior attributes

By Esber Ayaydin</p> <p>IZMIR, Turkey (AA) – Turkey registered a honey bee species after a decade-long rehabilitation effort t to boost pine honey production.</p> <p>Chief breeding officer at the Aegean Agricultural Research Institute Uzeyir Karaca told Anadolu Agency on Thursday the breeding began in 2008 to add superior attributes to honey making.</p> <p>Named Efe, the bees' ability to make honey increased in Turkish labs in Izmir province.</p> <p>&quot;Efe has better overwintering skills and its honey product is 25 or 35 percent higher than the bees in this area,&quot; Karaca said.</p> <p>Efe was registered in December 2018 by the Turkish Agriculture and Forestry Ministry.</p> <p>Karaca said the bees formed 201 colonies and picked the best ones, adding they made 20 colonies including pure race bees for honey producers. </p> <p>He said the species can do better overwintering, which means surviving winters, adding Efe can produce more pollen and royal jelly than the other types.</p> <p>