Gut microbiota of the maltese honeybee (Apis mellifera subsp. ruttneri)

To date, the Maltese honeybee is an endangered subspecies due to the importation of other European subspecies on the maltese islands, thus posing a threat to the hundred pure beehives still present in the main Maltese island. The study on Apis mellifera subsp. ruttneri was carried out in three different hives characterized by different beekeeping management. The discoveries made in this analysis could be a precursor for a new in-depth investigation of the honey bee gut microbiota, which also takes into consideration the subspecies and their ecological adaptation niche, especially in all those places that are difficult to reach and therefore preserved by genetic standardization driven by globalization of honeybees market.