Question

Enlist the species of honey bee mentioning their specific uses.

Answer 1

Apiculture or beekeeping deals with an artificial rearing of honey bees to obtain bee products like honey, wax, pollen, bee venom, propolis (bee glue), and royal jelly as well as pollinating agents for crop plants.

The four species of honey bees commonly found in India are

1. Apis dorsata (rock bee or wild bee),
2. Apis florea (little bee),
3. Apis mellifera (European bee), and
4. Apis indica (Indian bee).

For beekeeping, Apis mellifera and Apis indica are suitable species and are known as domesticated species.