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Of all the EU member states, bees enjoy the best living conditions in Lithuania, a recently published EU study reveals. The study, called Epilobee, was contracted by the EU’s executive leg, European Commission, and covers 17 EU countries and almost 32,000 bee colonies.

The study describes 10% as an acceptable threshold for bee colony mortality. Thus, bee mortality rate in Lithuania was 3.5% during the winter season of 2012/13 and 0.3% during the summer of 2013, the lowest indicators across the EU.

Lithuanian experts believe that bee vitality in Lithuania represents not only the genetic strength of the species, but also the country’s pure environmental conditions.

Also, beekeeping makes an important part of Lithuania’s cultural landscape. It is traditionally believed that only good people can jointly run a bee farm; thus, the word “bičiulis“, a derivative of “bitė“ (bee), means both “beekeeping partner” and “friend” in Lithuanian.

In 2005, the President of Lithuania Valdas Adamkus received three beehives as a gift from the President of Ukraine Viktor Yushchenko.  The current President Dalia Grybauskaitė also keeps a few beehives in her residence in Vilnius.

Bees are vital pollinators and play a crucial role in agriculture. However, since recently concern has been growing about the widespread collapse of bee colonies, particularly in the US and Europe. The scientists relate this growing mortality rate to industrialization and extensive use of pesticides.

The European Commission says its pan-European study on honeybee colony losses is Europe's most comprehensive study in this field so far.

Many experts say further studies are needed to establish the explicit link between bee mortality and certain sorts of pesticides, which would lead to their ban in the future.

Source: Epilobee study, BBC News