Biodiversity and Ecology Research Group - BERG at UM

20/07/2026

Over the past years, the BeeSustain project (Integrative Modelling for Enhanced Beekeeping Carrying Capacity) set out to help Malta’s beekeepers meet that pressure with better information. Led by the University of Malta’s Biodiversity and Ecology Research Group (BERG) and funded by the Xjenza Malta Research Excellence Programme (REP) 2024, the project has now reached its conclusion, and it leaves behind a richer picture of how honey bees, other pollinators, plants, and climate fit together on the Maltese islands.

Photo credits: James Ciarlo' Nature Photography

Honey bees and other pollinators sit quietly behind much of the food we eat. By carrying pollen from flower to flower, they make it possible for most crops to set fruit. As climate change brings hotter summers, longer droughts, and an earlier, more unpredictable spring, the pressure on these small but essential workers keeps growing. Over the past years, the BeeSustain project (Integrative Modelling for Enhanced Beekeeping Carrying Capacity) set out to help Malta’s beekeepers meet that pressure with better information. Led by the University of Malta’s Biodiversity and Ecology Research Group (BERG) and funded by the Xjenza Malta Research Excellence Programme (REP) 2024, the project has now reached its conclusion, and it leaves behind a richer picture of how honey bees, other pollinators, plants, and climate fit together on the Maltese islands.

Continue reading: https://plumtri.org/BeeSustain
Photo credits: James Ciarlo` ©

15/01/2026

The Bee-Optech4Honey project is a collaboration between researches from the University of Malta and Isik University in Turkey, funded by Xjenza Malta and TÜBİTAK.

One of the aims of the project was to characterise monofloral thyme honey in terms of its pollen content and physico-chemical analysis. A number of honey samples were collected from 2023-2025 and sent to be analysed by an accredited German food laboratory.

Read more in this article below, published by Think magazine:

Through Project BEE-OPTECH4Honey, Prof. David Mifsud and his team are seeking to demonstrate that Maltese thyme honey is worthy of a protected status.

12/01/2026

The Bee-Optech4Honey project is a collaboration between researches from the University of Malta and Isik University in Turkey, funded by Xjenza Malta and TUBITAK.

Using AI, GIS-modelling and machine learning technologies, the project aims to utilise real-world data to identify ideal nectar-foraging sites around Malta and Turkey, as well as establish efficient migratory beekeeping routes. Monofloral honey from Malta and Turkey was also analysed and characterised in terms of physico-chemical and melissopalynological parameters.

Read full article on plumtri: https://plumtri.org/Project_Bee-Optech4Honey-Mapping_a_More_Sustainable_Future_for_Maltese_Thyme_Honey

09/01/2026

The BeeSustain project is a collaborative research initiative led by the University of Malta's BERG at the Institute of Earth Systems - University of Malta, and is funded by the Xjenza Malta Research Excellence Programme (REP) 2024.

The project aims to address pressing concerns related to environmental changes threatening the survival of honey bees and other pollinators, by testing new and innovative approaches to improve beekeeping sustainability and safeguard bee populations.

Read full article on plumtri: https://plumtri.org/Project_BeeSustain-Envisaging_a_Sustainable_Future_for_Malta_s_Honey_Bees

🐝🐝🐝Project BeeSustain: Envisaging a Sustainable Future for Malta's Honey Bees

This project was funded under Xjenza Malta Research Excellence Programme (REP) 2024

Read full article here ➡️https://plumtri.org/Project_BeeSustain-Envisaging_a_Sustainable_Future_for_Malta_s_Honey_Bees

University of Malta

01/11/2025

🌿🍯 BEE-OPTECH4Honey Seminar – Discover the Future of Maltese Honey!

We’re excited to invite you to the BEE-OPTECH4Honey seminar on Wednesday, 20th November (2:00–7:00 PM) at Juventutis Domus Sacra Familia, Żejtun.

Join us as we explore how AI and drone technology are being used to identify ideal apiary sites across Malta — and discuss the exciting Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) potential of Maltese wild thyme honey.

Highlights include:
✨ Insights on honey quality and advanced mapping technologies
🍯 The PGI feasibility of Maltese wild thyme honey
🤖 Digital tools for smarter, more efficient apiculture

📍 Venue: Juventutis Domus Sacra Familia, Żejtun
🕑 Time: 2:00 PM – 7:00 PM (Registration at 1:45 PM)
🔗 RSVP here: https://bit.ly/4hFCuF0

See the full program on the BERG website: https://www.um.edu.mt/research/berg/newsandevents/

Let’s work together for a sweeter, smarter future for Maltese beekeeping! 🐝🇲🇹

29/09/2025

A massive thank you from all of us at BERG to everyone who stopped by our stand at Science in the City, Malta, last Friday. It was wonderful to share our passion for local biodiversity with so many curious minds!

This event wouldn't have been possible without our amazing team of volunteers, whose dedication and enthusiasm on the night were truly the heart of our exhibit.

Even a local cricket wanted to see what the buzz was about, perhaps looking for vacancies as someone's conscience. 🦗

What a fantastic experience. Until next time!

25/09/2025

🚨 This Friday, 26th September — BERG is at Science in the City! 🎉

🌿 Our theme this year: Appreciating Garden Fauna — let's compare alien invasive species vs native ones 👀

🔬 Drop by our stand to:
✨ Check out insect specimens & high-quality photos
✨ Use portable microscopes to delve into more detail
✨ Chat with our researchers about this hot topic

📍 Find us from 18:00 – 23:00 around Triton fountain.
Come say hi — we can’t wait to see you there! 👋

Find out more on:

Science in the City is Malta’s national science and arts festival, commencing on the 26th – 27th of September 2025. We provide a unique platform for the community, with scientists, researchers, artists and performers all coming together, to engage with the public and advocate for positive change...

09/09/2025

The band-eyed drone fly Eristalinus taeniops 🪰
A master of disguise in the insect world!

🌻Myth: That’s a bee or a wasp buzzing around!
Not quite. Although it looks the part, this is actually a hover fly (Family: Syrphidae). Hover flies are harmless — they have no sting at all. Instead, they rely on Batesian mimicry: imitating bees and wasps to trick predators into leaving them alone.

🌻Fact: They are excellent pollinators!
Although we don't normally associate flies with pollination, hover flies excel at pollinating many different species of plants. Each visit to a flower helps spread pollen, supporting the plants and ecosystems around us.

Next time you're out walking in nature, keep a sharp eye out, and don't let their mimicry deceive you!

📷Photo credits: Matthew Calleja

24/07/2025

🐝 We’re proud to see members of our group contributing to BeeGuards, an international research initiative tackling one of the most pressing issues in apiculture – varroa mite control.

03/07/2025

Find out what "tronġa" really means with BERG researcher Matthew Calleja.