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BEES AROUND THE WORLD
There are around 30,000 named species of bees. Most are solitary: each female bee makes her own nest, lays a single egg and provides food for the single larva that develops. A few species show a high level of social development and live together in a permanent, large colony, headed by a single egg-laying queen. Although many species of bees collect nectar that they convert to honey and store as a food source, it is only these large colonies formed by social species that store appreciable quantities of honey. These bees belong to the genus Apis, known as honey bees, and others are the stingless bees, belonging to the genera Trigona and Melipona. These species have been exploited by man for thousands of years: until recent centuries, honey was the most common sweetening commodity.
The honey bees most widely used for beekeeping are European races of Apis mellifera, a species of honey bee indigenous also to Africa and the Middle East. Honey bees do not occur naturally in the Americas, Australia, New Zealand or Pacific islands: European bees have been introduced to these regions during the last four centuries. Over the last half century, European bees have been introduced to most countries of Asia. In industrialised countries, all beekeeping technology has been developed for use with European honey bees, and most beekeeping and research literature relate only to this bee.
AFRICA
Apis mellifera are also indigenous to tropical Africa. All races of tropical honey bees are more likely to abandon their nest or hive if disturbed, because they have a greater chance of survival in the tropics. In some areas, honey bee colonies migrate seasonally. These are crucial factors governing tropical bee management.
In much of sub-saharan tropical Africa, local beekeeping methods are used, with log, bark, basket or clay hives placed in trees. The collection of honey from wild nests is also carried out where sufficient natural resources remain.
ASIA
At least nine honey bee species - varying in biology and behaviour - occur in Asia. Some of these bee species build nests consisting of single combs, in trees, bushes, or in cliffs, and a great variety of methods have been developed for their exploitation by humans. For example, the giant honey bee, Apis dorsata, suspends its large combs (often 1 m in diameter) from tree branches and overhanging ledges on rocks and buildings. Man obtains honey crops from this species by plundering their colonies, an activity known as honey hunting. Throughout Asia, from Gurung tribesmen in the Himalayas, to mangrove-dwellers in the Sunderbans of Bangladesh, the rain-forest people in Malaysia, people living in the river deltas of southern Vietnam, and indeed, wherever the giant honey bee is present, honey hunters have their own customs for exploiting these bees.
Apis cerana is known as the Asian hive bee because like European Apis mellifera, it can be kept and managed inside a hive. European Apis mellifera have been introduced to most of Asia, and may be the predominant honey bee species now present in China, Japan, Thailand and other Asian countries.
THE AMERICAS
There are no honey bees indigenous to the Americas. Instead, their ecological niche was filled by many different species of stingless bees, which were, and still are in some areas, exploited for their honey that is especially valued for its medicinal properties. Knowing nothing of these indigenous bees, European settlers long ago took with them European honey bees, and an industry developed based on this bee. In 1956, some tropical, African Apis mellifera bees were introduced into Brazil. These bees survived far more successfully in tropical Brazil than their European Apis mellifera predecessors. These 'Africanised' bees (dubbed 'killer bees' by the media) have spread through tropical parts of South and Central America, and are now in southern USA. In Brazil and neighbouring countries, beekeepers developed new management methods and now create excellent livelihoods with these bees. However the bees' arrival in southern states of USA is causing concern, and beekeepers will have to change their practises to fit the bahavior of these tropical bees.
List of Articles available on this topic (214):
Title | Author |
6th Brazilian Encorto and 8th international conference on tropical bees - part 1 | Sanford, M.T. |
A beekeeper outs China | - |
A letter from our old friend A. Bunker | Bunker, A. |
A plain language guide to the National Beekeeping Programme of Tanzania | Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism |
A polish welcome | Loveday, D. |
A Study to Determine the Feasibility of Establishing a Beekeeping Industry in Namibia | Bradbear, N. |
A world without bees | Benjamin, A. McCallum, B. |
AAA Conference in Australia | Manning, L. |
AAA Conference in Vietnam | Bees for Development |
Adventures in Beekeeping - Ratanakiri, Cambodia | Peterson, S. |
African honey trade workshop (no.81) | Bees for Development |
Africanized Honey Bees in the Americas | Caron, D.M. |
Apiculture and poverty alleviation in Cameroon part 2 | Nuesiri, E.O. & Fombad, E.E. |
Apitrade Africa launches new initiative | Okello, B. |
Approaches, methods and processes for innovative apiculture development: experiences from Ada\'a-Liben Woreda, Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia | Girma, M. Ballo, S. Tegegne, A. Alemayehu, N. Belayhun, L. |
Asian Apicultural Association Country Representatives | Bees for Development |
Asian beekeeping booklet | Sorenson, B. |
Balken-Imkerei in Kambodscha | Waring, C. Jump, D. |
Bee hives in Iraq | Waring, C. |
Bee product diversification and value addition | Bees for Development |
Beehives from ancient greece | Graham, A.J. |
Beekeeeping experience and development in Turkey and Northern Cyprus | Kandemir, I. |
Beekeeping around the world | - |
Beekeeping by Kanikkars in southern western ghats of Kerala | Nair, M.C. and Nair, P.K.K. |
Beekeeping enterprise in Jamaica | Munn, P. |
Beekeeping for Production in Sri Lanka: Management of Asiatic Hive Honeybee Apis Cerana in its Natural Tropical Monsoonal Environment | Punchihewa, R.W.K. |
Beekeeping Guidelines in Dari (Afghane) | Shahrouzi, Reza |
Beekeeping in Africa | - |
Beekeeping in Angola during colonial days | Pouseiro, A. |
Beekeeping in Argentina | - |
Beekeeping in Brazil: A slumbering giant awakens: Part 2 | Sanford, M.T. |
Beekeeping in Brazil: A slumbering giant awakens: Part 3 | Sanford, M.T. |
Beekeeping in Brazil: A slumbering giant awakens: Part 4 | Sanford, M.T. |
Beekeeping in Denmark 2000 | Brodsgaard, C. et al |
Beekeeping in Ethiopia | Berthold, R. |
Beekeeping in Greenland | Hertz, O. |
Beekeeping in russia | Noetzel, D. |
Beekeeping in Rwanda | Petersen,S. |
Beekeeping in South Africa | Johannsmeier, M.F. |
Beekeeping in South Africa | Lorence, C. and Lorence, K. |
Beekeeping in Tanzania | Kihwele, D.V.N, Massawe, A.J., Lwoga, P.D. and Burton, S. |
Beekeeping in the enclave of Cabinda, Angola | Emery, N. |
Beekeeping in The Gambia | Demir, T. |
Beekeeping in the Philippines | Wendorf, H. |
Beekeeping in the Philippines: Farm Bulletin 27 | Laigo, F.M. & Morse, R.A. |
Beekeeping in the Tropics | Segeren, P. |
Beekeeping in the tropics | CTA |
Beekeeping in the Tropics | Smith, F.G. |
Beekeeping in the Tropics | Smith, F. G. |
Beekeeping in the United States | Martin, E.C., Oertel, N.P. & Nye, N.P. |
Beekeeping in Trindad and Tobago 1901-2010 | Gladstone Solomon |
Beekeeping in Uganda | Dgaba, M.? |
Beekeeping in Vietnam | Mulder, V. |
Beekeeping in Zambia | Husselman, M. |
Beekeeping on St Helena | Kinross, J. |
Beekeeping on St Helena | Kinross, J. |
Beekeeping technology in Bangladesh: a Description of Past and Present Situation with Suggested Modifications | Svensson, B. |
Beekeeping, pollination and honey in Senegal | - |
Beekeeping, poverty alleviation and forest conservation in Imadiala, Madagascar | Russell, R.Y. |
Beekeeping,The Gambia: A Co-financing Application to the ODA from Action Aid | ODA |
Beekeeping: The NEVIS Way | Henderson, J.Q. |
Beeline for the Balkans | Rose, G. |
Beeline for the Balkans | Rose, G. |
Bees and Bee-Keeping | Costantino, Maria |
Bees and Beekeeping in the Former Dutch East Indies: with some references to Brunei, Serawak and Penninsular Malaysia. | de Vries, R. |
Bees and Beekeeping: Science, Practice and World Resources | Crane, E. |
Bees and their role in forest livelihoods: a guide to the services provided by bees and the sustainable harvesting, processing and marketing of their products | Bradbear, N. |
Bees, Beekeeping & Ecological Agriculture | AME Programme, Bangalore |
Bees, Biodiversity & Forest livelihoods in the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve | Bees for Development |
Bhutan : a profile of technical co-operation | UNDP |
Biodiversity of Honey Bees in Thailand Vol.3 | Wongsiri, S. et al |
Black bees of Laeso | Stevenson, W. |
Bounty from the Himalayas | Apiculture Centre, Nepal |
British People in Development | ODA |
Bumblebees | Prys-Jones, O. & Corbet, S. |
CABESI - a multi-faceted, self-help project | Gloor, R. & Thomas, H. |
Caribbean Congress in Guyana | Roberts, A. & Stewart, L. |
Caribbean Update : Guyana | Bees for Development |
Caribbean Update : Haiti | Caron, D. |
Caucasian Honey Bee Workshop, 2006, Camili, Artvin, Turkey | Inci, A & Kandemir, I. |
Celle\'s melissopalynological collection - Africa | Ohe von der,K Fichtl,R & Ohe von der, W |
China attacks Europe pver honey ban | Carslaw, N. |
Chinese beekeeping - a transport of delight | Brown, D. |
Chinese honey on trial: testimony, cross-examination and rebuttal | Lumpkin, D. |
Commonwealth Carribbean Directory of Aid Agencies | MacFarlane, R. & Tett, N. |
Conflict in Somalia and Ethiopia | Gilkes, P. |
Congregation of Apis cerana indica Fabricius 1798 drones in the canopy of trees in Sri Lanka | Punchihewa, R.W.K., Koeniger, N. and Koeniger, G. |
Creating a buzz in Albania | Acke, A. |
Current status of beekeeping in China | Zhang, F.X. and Chen, L.H. |
Diseases of Honeybees: sub regional training seminar | World Organisation for Animal Health OiE |
Documentation on Biological Diversity & Genetic Resources | FAO |
Eco-friendly harvesting of rock bees (sustainable Apis dorsata honey hunting) | Paliwal, G.N.; Paliwal, S. & Tembhare, D.B. |
Ecology and Natural History of Tropical Bees | Roubik, D.W. |
Economic Implications of Africanized Bees | Balough, S. |
Enquiry from a beekeeper in the United Kingdom | Beekeeper from the United Kingdom; Bees for Development |
Environmental Ecology: The Ecological Effects of Pollution, Disturbance, and Other Stresses | Freedman, B. |
Evaluation of a beekeeping Projct in The Gambia | Lassen, K.M. |
Evaluation of Brazilian propolis by both physiochemical methods and biological acivity | Park, Y.K., Ikegaki, M., Moura, F.F. |
Evaluation of Brazilian propolis by both physiochemical methods and biological activity | Pak, Y.K., Ikegaki, M., Alencar, Moura, F.F. |
Ex Africa | Brown, R. |
Facts about \"A frame for the Kenya top-bar hive\" | Stanley K Mbobua |
Fifth Caribbean Beekeeping Congress in Guyana | |
First beekeeping symposium in Chile | Graham, J.M. |
First National Conference of the Ethiopian Beekeepers Association | Ethiopian Beekeepers Association |
First Regional Training Workshop for Beekeepers | Daniel, K., Jaima, A., La Gra, J., & Murillo-Yepes, J. |
Foraging range of the Indian honeybee | Dhaliwai, H.S.; Sharma, P.L. |
General information on Bhutan | National Geographic |
German beekeeping in crisis | Maresh, K., Hauschen, I. |
Getting started in beekeeping in Barbados | Bees for Development |
Global honey bee decline and its effects on agricultural production | Hayes, J. |
Good Government and the Aid Programme | Chalker, L.. |
Guide to Keeping Bees in Somalia | Marketing Assistance & Product Promotion (MAPP) |
Haiti Beekeeping Project | Sterk, B. |
Harmony or conflict? Apis mellifera and Apis cerana in Southern Vietnam | Tan, N.Q. & Binh, P. T. |
History and Development of Beekeeping in Malaysia | Mardan, M. |
Home thoughts from abroad | Quayle, L. |
Honey - a product of value in Southern Sadan | Lowore, J. and Bradbear, N. |
Honey bee biology - back to India (part 4): Giant bees at one of the wonders of the world | Mangum, W.A. |
Honey market | - |
Honey market | - |
Honey market | - |
Honeybees in Bhutan | Bradbear, N. |
Honeybees in Mountain Agriculture: Beekeeping Development in the Hindu Kush-Himalayan Region | Verma, L.R. |
Honeybees in Oman | Dutton, R.W., Mjeni, A.M. & Whitcombe, R.P. |
How to run a small development project | \'Geneva Group\' |
I get up when I hear the cock crowing around 5:30 am | Tesfa, A. |
IDENTIFICAÇÃO DAS ABELHAS MELÍFERAS DE CABO VERDE | Pederson, B.V. |
Identification of Honeybees from Cape Verde | Pederson, B.V. |
Importation of bees from third countries | Waite, R. |
Importation of bees from third countries | Waite, R. |
Impressions of beekeeping in Cuba | Szabo, T.I. |
Improved pollination of insect pollinated crops in Bhutan | |
Indonesia: Country Statement - Presented at Workshop in Research and Development on Beekeeping in Tropical Asia | Hadisoesilo, S. |
Information on Honey and Beeswax Production in Ugalla Game Reserve, Southern Tabora Region, Tanzania | Fisher, E. |
Innovation increases incomes for Ethiopean beekeepers | Araya, H. |
Interview with Bob Malichi , North West Bee Products, Zambia | Bees for Development |
Introduction to Beekeeping: Field Support Guide for Swaziland | Bechtel, P. & Gau, K. |
Italy labels local honey | Flottum, K. |
IV International Apicilture Photography Contest | de Henares, A. |
IX Seminario Americano Apicultura 1995: Memorias | Sosa, I.R. et al |
Jeff goes to London | Harman,A. |
Khabura Development Project: A Preliminary Bibliography on Bees and Honey in Arabia | Whitcombe, R. |
Kilimanjaro National Park | Hanby, J. |
Krankheiten der Biene | Zander, E. & Bottcher, F.K. |
La solidarite au Burkino Faso at au Cameroun | Adam, M. and Adam, L. |
Looking Beyond the Brochure | Tourism Concern |
Low-cost homes for wild pollinators | Bogatyrev, N. |
Mailbox | - |
Malaysia ramps up | Flottum, K. |
Malaysian bee enterprise hits the headlines | Acke, A. |
Mexican beekeeping seminar convenec in Tabasco, part I | Sanford, M.T. |
Mexican beekeeping seminar convenes in Tabasco, part II | Sanford, M.T. |
Mexican beekeeping seminar convenes in Tabasco, part III | Sanford, M.T. |
Mexican beekeeping seminar, part II | Sanford, M.T. |
Mieles monoflorales de tamarindo y atamisqui y la posibilidad de algarrobo o alpataco - part I | Wingleton, M.C. |
Migratory beekeeping in Himachal Pradesh | Chauham, S.K. and Sharma, S.K. |
Namibia 92: A Review of Commerce, Industry and Tourism | Lambertus, B. |
National Beekeeping Programme | Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism |
Nepal | Lohani, J. |
NOVOS RECURSOS TÉCNICOS, NOVOS CAMINHOS PARA CRIAÇÃO DE ABELHAS SEM FERRÃO | Mitsiotis, N.M |
One hectare of land gives 1,000,000 Indian Rupees per annum | Jamwal, N. |
Organic Beekeeping, the experience of Cooperativas Sin Fronteras | Valdes, H. |
Peasant beekeepers and the impact of IRDP in Zambia\'s north-western province - Zambezi district | Wendorf, H. |
Persian honey bees and beekeeping observations in Iran | Kandemir, I. and Moradi, M.G. |
Perspectives in Indian Apiculture | Mishra, R.C. |
Peters Atlas of the World: The Earth in True Proportion for the First Time | Peters, A. |
Philippine Beekeeping: Status of Research and Development: Paper Presented to Beenet Workshop on Research and Development on Bees and Beekeeping in Tropical Asia | Cervancia, C.R. |
Poor mountain households improve incomes through beekeeping | Gurung, M.B. |
Practical Beekeeping - Swarms and Pests tips | Kasimba, C. & Latham, P. |
Practical Beekeeping - Top-bar hives in Eastern Senegal | Romet, A. |
PRAM 1990-2000 - For the development of sustainable beekeeping in Costa Rica and Central America | UNA - Universidad Nacional Costa Rica |
Problem and prospects of beekeeping in Kerala, South India | Padman abhan, P. |
Raftering: A traditional technique for honey an wax production from Apis dorsata in Vietnam | Chinh,P.H. Minh, N.H. Thai, P.H. and Tan, N.Q. |
RECUPERANDO POPULAÇÕES SILVESTRES DA ABELHA MELÍFERA E O MEIO DE VIDA DOS FAZENDEIROS DO HIMALAIA | Ahmad, F.; Joshi, S.R.; Gurung, M.B |
Resolutions from the advanced course and workshops in beekeeping with Apis cerana in tropical and subtropical Asia | - |
Resources of nectar plants and their utilization in China | Jlanke, L. |
Restoration of Apis cerana japonica on the Goto Islands | Hishahi, F. |
Retreating wild honeybee populations and livlihoods of Himalayan farmers | Ahmad, F.; Joshi, S.R.; Gurung, M.B. |
Revival of Apis cerana populations in the Himalayas | Ahmad, F.; Joshi, S.R.; Gurung, M.B & Partap, U. |
Roumanie: apiculteurs hongrois | Freytag,I; Bruneau,E |
Simple bee houses: a boon for African beekeepers | Carrol, T. |
South Korea hosts AAA conference | Lee, S. |
Stingless bees in Brazil | Mangum, W.A. |
Stingless bees in Brazil | Mangum, W.A. |
Stingless Bees in Kenya | Macharia, J., Raina, S. & Muli, E. |
Surgery, nuns, and bees in the Dominican Republic | Marterre, B. |
Survivor bees around the world; why I no longer keep bees | Sanford, M.T. |
Sustainable beekeeping in Uganda yields top-quality honey | Leow, L. |
Tanzania Visit Report | Herklots, J. |
Tanzanian Forestry Action Plan 1990/91 - 2007/8 | Yonazi, R.P. et al |
The airwaves are buzzing | Kah, A. |
The barefoot beekeeper | Chandler, P. |
The Birth of Itumbauzo Beekeepers Association | Eaton, P. |
The development of beekeeping in sustainable projects in the third world | Hurst, N. |
The Gorongosa hive (top-bar) | Hardison, M. |
The Honey Industry in Malawi & Beekeeping in Mzuzu | Munthali, S.C. & Chunga, C. |
The role of women, and indigenous knowledge in Ethiopian beekeeping | Ejigu, K.; Adgaba, N. & Bekele, W. |
Travellers tales - in Yucatan with \'Bees abroad\' | Withers, N. |
Tropical Beekeeping in Cambodia | Yoshikawa, K. and Ohgushi, R. |
Tropilaelaps: an exotic threat to UK honey bees | Marris,G.; Brown,M.; Wilkins,S.; Cuthbertson,A.G.S.; Eyre,D. |
Ukraine | Komissar, A. |
Ukraine bee stamps | Kuzych, I. |
Varroa in New Zealand: South Island update | Munn, P. |
Varroa jacobsoni and Apis cerana in the Solomon Islands | Hardie, P. & Cooper, K. |
Visit to Korea | - |
Voyage icic at ailleurs: Aillerus . . . le rucher collectif d\'Inezerki au Maroc | Masetti, L.N. |
World honey market - Argentina | Graham, J.M. |
World honey markets - Bulgaria | Graham, J. |
Zambia is the place to bee | Kaloko trust |
Zimbabwe | Muller, V. W.D. |
Zoom in on Bermuda | Bees for Development |
Zoom in on Panama | Caron, D. |
Zooming back to Jordan | Haddad, N. |
Zooming back to Jordan | Bees for Development |