In Austria two autochthonous bee breeds are known:

- Apis mellifera mellifera - Local Dark Honey Bee

- Apis mellifera carnica - Carnic Honey Bee

After the end of the ice age, which displaced all bees from Europe,

the Apis mellifera conquered, coming from Near East, whole Europe.

The Local Dark Honey Bee had originally an extensive field of

distribution from the Pyrenees to Scandinavia, because they are very resistent to coldness. But this breed was already displaced by the Carnic Honey Bee, because they are more gentley and economically.

The Carnic Bee developed from the Apis ligustica, the Italian Honey Bee. Out of economical reasons, the Carnic bee is also under pressure.

Similar to other farm animal breeds the eradication of local bees started with the searching for more economical breeds. Organisation of beekeepers try to preserve the existing stock. It is important to start further activities, but in the moment no conservation programme is run.