The Ligurian Bee Sanctuary - Kangaroo Island
The Ligurian Bee Sanctuary - Kangaroo Island
Kangaroo Island is the world's oldest bee sanctuary and is home to the only pure strain of Ligurian Bee in the world (so they say).
Sourced from the Italian province of Liguria, the Ligurian Bee was introduced to Kangaroo Island in 1884.
In 1885 Kangaroo Island was declared a bee sanctuary. No other bees have since been imported to the Island.
Kangaroo Island's geographic isolation has also enabled the Island to remain free of several bee diseases present on mainland Australia. To maintain this protection all honey, pollen, used beekeeping tools and equipment are prohibited from being brought to the Island.
Kangaroo Island remains home to the purest strain of bee in the world.
The Ligurian bee was named after its origin in the Ligurian Alps in the days of the Roman Empire. The scientific name of this species is Apis mellifera ligustica
Ligurian Bee
As a beekeeper - when you have a gentle, healthy and productive strain of bee why would you care for pure or otherwise?
However, keeping diseases away from the bees on Kangaroo Island is a worthwhile cause.