A beekeeper checks black bees at an apiary in Raohe County, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, July 22, 2026.
Raohe, a border county in northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, boasts favorable geographical and climatic conditions for raising black honeybees. A national-level nature reserve was set up here in 1997 to conserve the species.
Leveraging its unique resource endowments, Raohe has developed the black honeybee industry into its local pillar industry, and is working to upgrade the traditional beekeeping sector to modern brand-focused agriculture.
Up to now, the reserve has a total of 42,000 bee colonies, 431 apiaries, and 1,300 people involved in the beekeeping sector. The combined brand value of local bee products including honey, royal jelly and propolis has exceeded 1.488 billion yuan (219.7 million U.S. dollars). (Xinhua/Wang Song)
This photo taken on July 22, 2026 shows a view of black honeybee themed park along the Wusuli River in Raohe County, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province.(Xinhua/Wang Song)
A staff member works at a black bee honey production line of a food company in Raohe County, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, July 22, 2026.(Xinhua/Wang Song)
A beekeeper checks black bees at an apiary in Raohe County, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, July 22, 2026.(Xinhua/Wang Song)
A staff member checks black bee honey products at a food company in Raohe County, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, July 22, 2026.(Xinhua/Wang Song)
A beekeeper checks black bees at an apiary in Raohe County, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, July 22, 2026.(Xinhua/Wang Song)
This photo taken on July 22, 2026 shows a black bee honey production line at a food company in Raohe County, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province.(Xinhua/Wang Song)
