Thousands of rare forest honey bees that appear to be the last wild descendants of Britain’s native honey bee population have been discovered in the ancient woodlands of Blenheim Palace. The newly discovered subspecies, or ecotype, of honey bee is smaller, furrier and darker than the honey bees found in managed beehives, and is believed to be related to the indigenous wild honey bees that foraged the English countryside for centuries. Until now, it was presumed all these bees had been completely wiped out by disease and competition from imported species.