Zooming in on Trinidad and Tobago

Size

5 128 km² (1 980 square miles)

Population

1.3 million

GNP

$3375 per capita (Agriculture accounts for 5% of GNP).

Main agriculture

Bananas, citrus fruits, cocoa, coffee, rice, sugar.

Honey bees

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.

It is unclear whether Africanized bees are present in Tobago: recent beekeeper visitor to Tobago stated that bees there definitely do not show Africanized behaviour. Tobago is 50 km from Trinidad.

Beekeeping

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.

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

26

Beekeeping department

Apiaries Unit, Ministry of Food Production, Harris Street, Curepe, Trinidad.

Beekeeping association

Trinidad & Tobago Beekeepers’ Association, Ministry of Food Production, Trinidad.

Honey bee diseases

None

Honey bee pests

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 honey yield of 80 kg/colony/year, but the average yield is probably less than this.

Stingless bees

Stingless bees are present on both islands and are kept in traditional hives, and wild nests are also plundered.

Previous articles

Beekeeping and Development 18: Using newsprint sheets in beekeeping

Newsletter 16: News Around the World

Newsletter 15 : News Around the World

Newsletter 6 : News Around the World

Newsletter 5 : News Around the World

Further reading

Hallim, M K I (1989) 1988 Honey Industry in Trinidad and Tobago. In Proceedings of the Fourth International Conference on Apiculture in Tropical Climates, Cairo, Egypt, 1988 509-510.

CARON, D M (1989) Beekeeping in Trinidad. American Bee Journal 129(9}: 589-590.