'
Beekeeping & Development 20
September ZOOMING IN ON TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO
199]
Caribbean Sea
Scdrborough
Atlantic
Size 5
geo
PORT OF SPA
128 km?(1 980 square miles)
Population GNP
|.3
Ocean
million
$3375 per capita (Agriculture accounts for 5% of
GNP).
spe: Mo =
Main agriculture Bananas, citrus fruits, cocoa, coffee, rice, sugar
Honey bees
is 3
Caribbean
@San Fernando
|
ge
Apis mellifera of European origin were introduced
to Trinidad sometime during the last three centuries, and to Tobago as recently as 1933. Africanized honey bees arrived in Trinidad in June 1979 having flown under their own steam from Venezuela. The nearest point of Trinidad is only 15 km from Venezuela.
SOUTH AMERICA
Beekeeping association
unclear whether Africanized bees are present in Tobago: a recent beekeeper visitor to Tobago stated that bees there definitely do not show Africanized behaviour. Tobago is 50 km from Trinidad.
Trinidad & Tobago Beekeepers’ Association, Ministry of Food Production, Harris Street, Curepe. Trinidad
Beekeeping
None
When Africanized bees first arrived in Trinidad, the Government attempted to destroy all Africanized colonies. In the ten year period 1979-1989 36,630 colonies were destroyed. However this is not sustainable in the long-term and beekeepers have gradually become accustomed to managing the bees. As always after Africanized bees arrive, the number of beekeepers declined and then began to increase again
Honey bee pests
It is
Frame hive beekeeping is used. Most of the hives (Langstroth} and related equipment are made
locally. Traditional fixed-comb hives are prohibited by law. Beekeepers and apiaries must be registered in accordance with the 1980 Beekeeping and Bee Product Act.
Melliferous vegetation The climate allows lush vegetation with abundant forage for bees available throughout the year Trees important for bees include Teclona grandis (teak), Swietenia mahogani (mahogany), Andira inermis (angelin), Cordia alliodora (cypress), Haemotoxylon campechianum (log wood) Samanea saman (rain tree), Erylhrina micropteryx (immortelle) Fruit trees providing forage include avocado, cashew, citrus, coconut, coffee, guava and mango. Herbaceous plants are also important forage sources.
Number of beekeepers 460 Number of Apis mellifera colonies in hives Around 5000. Beekeeping and Development recipients
Honey bee diseases
Bacchacs - the local name for ants which are a problem for bee colonies. Local beekeepers have developed techniques to protect colonies from their attack.
Honey Total annual production is around 60 tonnes. Importation has been banned by law since 1935, and the demand for local honey is therefore high. The standard container for the sale of honey is the rum bottle and one of these sells for about T&ETS29 (USS7.6 per kilogram). It is easily possible to obtain a honey yield of 80 kg/colony/year, but the average yield 1s probably less than this.
Beekeeping department Apiaries Unit, Ministry of Food Production, Harris Street, Curepe, Trinidad.
a chance to meet
Gladstone and Tobago bees at
IBRA’s Fifth liternational Conference
an Apicullure
in Tropical Climates. in Trinidad and Tebage
Seplemiber
LOG
Stingless bees
ve
Stingless bees are present on both islands and are kept in traditional hives, and wild nests are also
foe
plundered.
Previous articles Beekeeping and Development 18 sheets in beekeeping.
News Around the World
Newsletter 16
Newsletter 15 Newsletter 6
Newsletter
5
:
:
oe
\ my
Using newsprint
We
ia
fe
ad
News Around the World
:
News Around the World
News Around the World
Further reading Hallim, M K (1989) 1988 Honey Industry in Trinidad and Tobago. In Proceedings of the Fourth 1
International Conference on Apiculture in Tropical Climates, Cairo, Egypt, 1988 509-510. .
26
Gladstone Soloman, a beekeeper in Tobago. demonstrates the friendliness of the bees You will have
D M (1989) Beekeeping in Trinidad. American Bee Journal 129(9}: 589-590.
CARON,
The assistance of Michael Duggan and The High Commission for The Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, London in providing this information is gratefully acknowledged. Requests or suggestions for future “Zoomings’ are welcome.
NINE
ay
