Bees for Development Journal
66
BOOKSHELF
Book Shelf The Himalayan cliff bee Apis laboriosa and the honey hunters of Kaski Faroog Ahmad, Surendra Raj Joshi and Min Bahadur Gurung 2003 52 pages 16.80 (€25.20) Code A175 Regular readers of BfD Journal are aware that ICIMOD based in Kathmandu, Ow Nepal is undertaking a long-term project on indigenous honeybees (see page 7). One very important project objective is to understand more about the honeybee Apis laboriosa and its exploitation by Himalayan communities. Here are the first results of a study of Apis laboriosa in Kaski - the District in central Nepal whose main town is the popular tourist destination of Pokhara. Interviews with local honey hunters revealed that 26 cliffs in the District are sites for Apis laboriosa colonies: these sites were surveyed between September 2000 and August 2001, and the results are here presented. For each of the sites is given GPS data, number of Apis laboriosa nests, vegetation type, bee flora and other local details. Apis laboriosa is a migratory species and a calendar for the approximate time of year when the bees arrive and depart is shown, as well as the time of hunting of these nests.
This is followed by more information about honey hunting: the methods and equipment used, traditional beliefs, and weight of honey harvested - around three tonnes for this District during the survey. Finally there is discussion of social and economic aspects of the honey hunters, and consideration of honey hunting events as entertainment for tourists. Issues identified by the study and possibly leading to a decline in the populations of Apis laboriosa include: the transfer of ownership of bee cliffs from communities to the Forest Department; continued loss of biodiversity; and tourism tempting honey hunters to perform outside the usual season. This new text is elegantly presented, and raises important issues on which the project is continuing with further research.
CELLER MELssOPALINOLOGISCHE SAMMLUNG
CMS - AFRICA
Celle's melissopalynological collection - Africa
Ow
Katharina von der Ohe, Reinhard Fichtl and Werner von der Ohe 2003 234 pages 124.80 (€187.20)
Code O110
A ring binder containing 200 data sheets, each giving pictures and morphological details of pollen from plant species collected predominantly in Eritrea and Ethiopia, but also in Malawi, Mauritius, Zambia, Zanzibar and Zimbabwe. Many of the plants, for example species of Azadirachta, coconut, Commelina, Eucalyptus, Grevillea, Moringa, Plectranthus, silk cotton, Syzygium, and Zizyphus, are common in other regions of the world. addition there is much useful supporting information explaining how the pollen pictures were produced, the terminology used to describe pollen grains' shape, a glossary of palynological terms, references and indices organised according to pollen grain outline (angular/circular/oval etc), aperture type, exine type, plant family and name. A useful reference work for people working on pollen identification and honey analysis. In
The little book of bees Karl Weiss 2003 106 pages Hardcover 19.20
(€28.80} Code W360 A beautifully presented book. It provides a thoughtful,
precise and readable text that will be appreciated by anyone more about the many different kinds of bees, of which the best known honeybees and bumblebees De . are but a tiny minority. Karl Weiss's first six chapters describe concisely bees' place within the animal kingdom, what insects are, what is special about solitary and social bees, what ‘social' means in this context, and discussion of solitary bees, social bees, bumblebees and stingless bees. Chapter seven then approaches ‘the summit of social insect life’, the genus Apis - the honeybees. The final chapter gives details of how to provide nests for wild bee species, followed by a useful bibliography and index. Illustrated with excellent line drawings.
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CD ROM Bee plants of Bas Congo and southern Tanzania Paul Latham
2003 22.80
BEE PLANTS of
BAS-CONGO
(€34.20) Code VID25
and
Paul Latham's two books Beekeeping and some honeybee SOUTHERN TANZANIA plants in Umalila, southern Tanzania and Some honeybee plants of Bas-Congo Province, DR Congo including almost 200 marvellous photographs are now available on one CD Rom.
The results of a project to encourage beekeeping, conservation and the planting of useful bee plants in Bas Congo Province are described. Many plants mentioned are found throughout the humid, tropical regions of Africa and are listed in a botanical index. The conservation and planting of useful bee plants in the southern highlands of Tanzania is also encouraged. Pictures of 74 plant species and their value for bees are explained, as well as-the log hive beekeeping practised in the area. The individual books are still available Tanzania 39.70 (€72.60) Code L105 or Swahili edition L110 DR Congo 48.40 (€72.60) Code L115 14
