Parco Nazionale Isola di Pantelleria in cooperation with Parco Nazionale delle Cinque Terre,
Parco Nazionale dellaMaiella, Parco Nazionale del Vesuvio and Parco Nazionale
dell’Arcipelago Toscano organised the First international meeting APIS SILVATICA- The
western honey bee in nature.

All scientists and activists studying free-living colonies of Apis mellifera, their relationship to
other pollinators, managed colonies and ecosystems were invited to attend. The Conference
took place in the island of Pantelleria- Italy, from May 16th to May 22nd, 2022 and it was
one of the kind as it took place in the open space!
The objectives  of the conference include the conservation of biodiversity and the
identification of the correct measures for the protection of free colonies of western honey
bees and wild pollinators.

SafeAgroBee project was presented by Dr. Fani Hatjina, (PRESERVATION AND SELECTION
OF LOCAL GREEK HONEY BEES IN THE ISLAND OF GAVDOS/ ‘SAFEAGROBEE’ PROJECT) and it
raised several questions and lots of interest by the participants. Synergies were also found
with other Prima projects presented there.
Dr. Fabrice Requier also presented some very interested facts about the wild-living honey
bees in Europe.
Participation in the conference included an excursion to the Pantelleria Island National
Park, with visits to organic farms, and colonies of wild Europeans bees.

Most important, the Pantelleria Declaration on “Protection of all free-living Apis mellifera
colonies and their rewilding” was accepted and signed by all participants at the end of the
conference on May 20, on World Bee Day, to outline measures and practices for the
protection of the subspecies of Apis mellifera and wild pollinators.