Bee speciesย
There are five important species of honey bees as follows:
- Apis dorsata: The rock bee Apidae.
- Apis cerana indica: The Indian hive bee Apidae.
- Apis florea : The little bee Apidae.
- Apis mellifera: The European or Italian bee Apidae.
- Melipona irridipennis: Danner bee, Meliporidae stingless bee.
- Apis dorsata:
1. They construct single comb in open (About 6ft long and 3ft deep)
2. They shift the place of the colony often.
3. Rock bees are ferocious and difficult to rear.
4. They produce about 36 Kg honey /comb/year.
5. The bees are the largest among the bee described.
- Apis florea:
1. They also construct comb in open of the size of palm in branches of bushes, hedges, buildings, caves, empty cases etc.
2. They produce about 1/2Kg honey/year/hive.
3. They are not rearable as they frequently change their palce.
4. The size of the bees is smallest among 4 Apis Sp. Described. (smaller than Indian bee).
5. They distributed only in plains and not in hills above 450M.
- Apis cerana indica (Indian bee/Asian bee)
1. They make multiple parallel combs on trees and cavities in darkness.
2. The bees are larger than Apis florae but smaller than Apis mellifera.
3. They produce about 5Kg of honey/year/hive.
4. They are more prone to swarming and absconding.
5. They are native of India/Asia.
- Apis mellifera (Italian bee or European bee)
1. They also make multiple parallel combs in cavities in darkness.
2. They are larger than Indian bees but smaller than Rock bees.
3. They have been imported from European countries.(Italy)
4. They yield on an average 35Kg/hive/year.
5. They are less prone to swarming and absconding.
