BEERFFE PING & DEVELOPMENT 30
APIS MELLIFERA VERSUS APIS ERANA IN THE NORTH OF THAILAND H Pechhacker and N Juntawong Improvements in beekeeping must always consider local bee species, races and
ecotypes. Observations in the north of Thailand show what happens when an exotic bee is introduced.
THE LOCAL SITUATION
WHY IS APIS CERANA
DECLINING?
The area around Chiang Mai is used for intensive agriculture Besides rice and
One possible reason is direct competition between Apis mellifera and Apis cerana. For
vegetables the large orchards growing litchi, longan and mango provide the important crops
example in mating and for bee fodder Another reason is the importation of diseases (brood
in this area. Litchi and longan orchards
particularly need insect pollination and longan
diseases, tracheal mites and viral diseases} by
is a very important plant for honey production in this region. A lot of longan honey is
the introduced bee.
exported to Taiwan and Japan.
These two paints may play an important role in this region - for example chalkbrood and
was to this region that the first successful imports of Apis mellifera were made. Since 1985
the area.
It
sacbrood diseases can be found throughout
we have observed the relationship between the local bee Apis cerana and the introduced
there economic competition? No, because the local beekeepers are still providing nesting sites for Apis cerana by offering empty Is
Apis mellifera.
The table shows the numbers of Apis cerana colonies present in the same apiaries in 1985,
traditional hives as they did 1000 years ago. Traditional hives are now never occupied by
1988 and 1992. The dramatic reduction in the
Apis cerana.
number of Apis cerana colonies can be seen. Dr W Ritter has informed us that he also found
it
a big reduction of Apis cerana
beekeeper of this region said “No swarms come anymore - and if swarm comes, A
a
colonies in the
will abscond again very soon”.
WHAT IS THE EFFECT?
north of Thailand between 1985 and 1988. At
Because of the decline of Apis cerana colonies in many regions of Asia, Apis cerana is an
the same time the number of Apis mellifera colonies has multiplied several times. There is
endangered species. The smaller the native population of Apis cerana in any area, the higher
now a highly developed Apis mellifera bee
industry in the area, producing royal jelly and
the danger for this bee because of its mating behaviour
pollen
Hae
Traditional beekeeping as part of the farming systems will be lost in areas with a high density of Apis mellifera beekeeping As Professor Verma says, “Apis mellifera is bee only for the rich men”, because Apis mellifera
Hd
a
beekeeping in Asia involves continous treatment against the tropical bee mites and needs very high technical standards None of this is possible for poor farmers.
This means that beekeeping for home use in many regions of Asia will be lost According to Professor Verma, “Apis cerana is the bee for the poor man in Asia”, and this poor man will be much poorer than before
When the Apis cerana population is destroyed a native and well-adapted pollinator for both
native and agricultural plants will be lost The results for native plant biodiversity and the pollination of agricultural crops cannot be
estimated.
Is Apis mellifera
effectively as Apis cerana?
SUX
able to pollinate as
