Bees pollinate most plants and are important for natural balance and the existence of life. Without them, humanity would be in dire straits.
According to the Government Communication office of Slovenia, Cankarjev dom is hosting a gigantic Carniolan honeybee these days. The so-called 3D Carniolan honeybee is a physical model of the worker bee Apis mellifera carnica, but 100 times larger. It is on display to mark World Bee Day on May 20, in cooperation with the Slovenian Beekeeping Association. This is also the 11th year that urban beekeeping is active on the roof of the building.
In the first 2 minutes of this 13:34-minute video by Mema iVlog, we see the giant Carniolan honeybee while it was in Dubai:
This giant Carniolan honeybee was initially created to celebrate the Slovenian EU Council Presidency. It has been buzzing around the world considerably, having been displayed at the Slovenian Pavilion at the Expo in Dubai, where it was seen by around one million people.
In this unrelated 3:13-minute video by Hobby Farm Guys we find out why the Carniolan bee is so popular with beekeepers around the world:
People in Slovenia can visit the giant model at Cankarjev dom where it is on display until April 20 in the Grand Reception Hall. It is an entertaining experience since the giant bee has moving body parts and expresses nine animations in English and Slovenian.
Some interesting facts about the model: It is a 3D-printed model that is based on a real Carniolan honeybee. It is made in the ratio of 1 : 100 and is 170cm long. The accuracy is 90% morphological similarity to a real worker bee because it was accurately imaged down to the micron by using a Micro CT scanner.
Cankarjev dom is the perfect place for this unusual exhibit. The honeybees have co-existed with culture on the roof for 11 years already, which makes the facility one of the first urban beekeeping locations in Slovenia. Their honey is high quality and certified as Slovenian honey, with a protected geographical indication. In other words, it is a rich and delicious honey that you won’t regret buying and will delight in eating.