To Bee

It had been assumed that the progenitor of the UK's domesticated Honeybee, had been wiped out by disease and the introduction of other ecotypes. Fifty colonies of a smaller, darker, more furry Forest honeybee have been discovered, however, in Blenheim Palace's (Oxfordshire) 160 plus hectares of land (https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/nov/07/no-one-knew-they-existed-wild-heirs-of-lost-british-honeybee-found-at-blenheim). Blenheim Palace is the only UK palace that is not 'royal'. The Blenheim bees appear to be the last, wild descendants of the UK's native Honeybee. Interestingly, the Blenheim colonies appear to be coping effectively with Varroa mite infestations that are decimating hives elsewhere.