Selection of Bee Species for Apiculture
A self-learning module for B.Sc. Zoology students covering the honey bee species used in Indian apiculture and the biological criteria that guide species selection for commercial and backyard beekeeping.
Quadrant I — e-Tutorial
Orientation to the topic: learning objectives and the conceptual walk-through you would normally receive as a lecture or narrated animation.
01Learning Objectives
- List the honey bee species of apicultural importance found in India and elsewhere.
- Distinguish domesticated species (Apis cerana indica, Apis mellifera) from wild/non-hivable species (Apis dorsata, Apis florea).
- Identify the biological, behavioural and economic criteria used to select a bee species for apiculture.
- Compare species on honey yield, temperament, disease resistance and management demand.
- Apply selection criteria to recommend a suitable species for a given agro-climatic situation.
Narrated Walk-through (slot)
Embed a screen-recorded narration or animation here summarising the five bee species and the selection framework (recommended length: 8–10 minutes).
02Concept in Brief
Apiculture, or scientific beekeeping, depends on choosing a honey bee species that a farmer can actually manage in a hive, not merely a species that produces honey in nature. Of the roughly nine recognised species of the genus Apis, only two are truly hivable and commercially reared in India — the Indian hive bee (Apis cerana indica) and the introduced Italian/European bee (Apis mellifera). The giant rock bee (Apis dorsata) and the dwarf bee (Apis florea) build a single open comb in the wild and abscond if disturbed, so they are exploited only through honey hunting. Stingless bees of the genus Trigona (Meliponiculture) form a fifth, niche option. Selecting the right species is therefore the first and most consequential decision in setting up an apiary.
Quadrant II — e-Content (Text & Self-Learning Material)
Detailed reading material: species profiles, selection criteria and a comparative summary.
ABee Species of Apicultural Relevance
Tap each species to expand its profile.
BCriteria for Selecting a Bee Species
A species is fit for apiculture only if it satisfies most of the following criteria simultaneously.
CComparative Summary
| Character | A. cerana indica | A. mellifera | A. dorsata | A. florea | Trigona sp. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Domestication status | Fully hivable | Fully hivable | Not hivable | Not hivable | Hivable (log/box) |
| Avg. honey yield / colony / yr | 6–8 kg | 25–40 kg | 36–50 kg (per hunt) | 0.5–1 kg | 0.3–0.5 kg |
| Temperament | Moderately docile | Docile, manageable | Highly aggressive | Mild, timid | Stingless, gentle |
| Absconding tendency | High | Low | Very high | Very high | Low |
| Colony strength | Small–medium | Large | Very large (single comb) | Very small | Small |
| Disease/pest susceptibility | Thai sacbrood virus | Varroa, tracheal mites | Low (wild vigor) | Low | Low |
| Climatic adaptability (India) | Wide, incl. hills | Best in temperate/sub-temperate | Tropical, forested | Tropical plains | Tropical, humid |
| Management input required | Low–moderate | High (skilled) | None (hunted, not kept) | None (hunted) | Low |
| Typical use | Small & marginal farmers | Commercial apiaries | Wild honey hunting | Wild honey hunting | Medicinal honey, pollination |
DTry It — Species Selector
Choose a farming context and the tool will suggest the species most commonly recommended by extension agencies for that situation. This is a teaching aid, not a substitute for local expert advice.
EDiscussion Points
Quadrant III — Self Assessment
15 auto-graded questions. Attempt all questions; your score appears at the end.
Great effort!
Quadrant IV — Resources & Evaluation
Glossary, assignments and further reading to extend the module.
01Glossary
Apiculture
The science and practice of maintaining honey bee colonies, typically in man-made hives, for honey, wax, pollination and allied products.
Absconding
Abandonment of the hive/nest site by an entire bee colony, usually due to disturbance, food scarcity, pest attack or unfavourable conditions.
Swarming
Natural reproduction of a colony in which the old queen leaves with a group of workers to found a new colony, splitting the original one.
Meliponiculture
Rearing of stingless bees (genus Trigona/Melipona) for honey and pollination services.
Sacbrood virus
A viral disease of honey bee larvae causing them to die and form a fluid-filled sac; a major constraint in Apis cerana rearing.
Varroosis
Infestation of honey bee colonies by the parasitic mite Varroa destructor, a serious threat to Apis mellifera colonies.
Bee flora
The range of flowering plants within foraging range of a hive that provide nectar and pollen through the year.
02Assignment
- Prepare a one-page note comparing Apis cerana indica and Apis mellifera as options for a beekeeping unit in your home district.
- Visit or virtually survey a local apiary/KVK unit and record the species reared, colony strength and yield reported.
- Design a decision chart (flowchart) a first-time beekeeper could use to pick a bee species.
03Further Reading & References
- Free, J. B. (1982). Bees and Mankind. George Allen & Unwin, London.
- Kshirsagar, K. K. (2015). Handbook of Beekeeping. National Bee Board, Ministry of Agriculture, Govt. of India.
- Jhajj, H. S. & Goyal, N. P. Textbook of Apiculture. Kalyani Publishers.
- National Bee Board, Govt. of India — nbb.gov.in
- ICAR – All India Coordinated Research Project on Honeybees and Pollinators.
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