Hypernostrian Honeybee
Scientific Name: Apis antarktikos  |
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Physical Description Body Type: Invertebrate Biological Information Diet: Honey and bee bread  Near Threatened (MUNHC) |
The Hypernostrian Honeybee, also called the Snowbee, is a species of honey bee native to the island of Hypernostria. They are a limited population that is endemic to the island, and therefore considered near threatened. The species is unique among honeybees in general, as this particular species has developed the ability to cope with the colder climate of the antarctic. The bees are only active in the warm summer months when the brief bloom of alpine flowers provides food for them to survive. The bees then rapidly expand (earning the other nickname of Hyperbee) their colony and gather large amounts of food in ground nests, which they insulate heavily with a thick wall of beeswax. Once colder weather begins to set in the bees will gorge themselves to put on weight, seal their nest and then enter a state of torpor until the next season.
Domestication of these bees dates back to some of the earliest days of Micras. But that same domestication has also threatened to upset the balance of the wild colonies, since if they are not prepared for the cold the colony will die. The honey is considered a delicacy on the global market and fetches a high price, thus placing it in great demand. But conservation agencies have cited concerns that unregulated exploitation of the colonies could result in their complete collapse. Thus some agencies are working with native populations to implement safer techniques for collecting honey, such as better-insulated ground hives for beekeepers and protecting wild breeding colonies.
