Bee species found in Nagaland

Dimapur, January 6 (MExN): Nagaland is home to a variety of honey bee species, namely the Apis cerena  (common honey bee), Apis dorsata and Apis laborosia (Rock bee), Trigona/Mellipona spp. (Stingless bee) and Apis florea (little bee). All the species mentioned are widely found in all the parts of the state in the wild and species like the Apis cerena and Trigona spp are reared by many beekeepers in their homestead or farm apiaries.   According to the Nagaland Beekeeping and Honey Mission website, the most common Apis species are Rock Bee (Apis Dorsata/Laboriosa), the Little Bee (Apis florae) and the Asian Honeybee (Apis Cerana).   The former two species are wild while the latter is domesticated. Apis Dorsata, or the Giant honey bee, prefers to nest in exposed areas far off the ground, on tree limbs and under cliff overhangs, and sometimes on buildings. They are aggressive bees which have never been domesticated (as they do not use enclosed cavities for nesting), and can be extremely dangerous if the colony is provoked.  

The most common bee is Apis Cerana, under this different kind of strains are found. This bee is traditionally domesticated in the cavities of trunks, hollows of rocks, hollowed out logs, wooden boxes, buckets, packing cases etc.   They are also domesticated in wooden boxes with fixed frames. Apis Mellifera has been tried in the state but is not found to adapt well but the process is still on.   Trigona Iridipennis or the Stingless bee are primitive species and are commonly found in the underground, hollow of trees, crevices of rock and walls. The Process of experimental rearing is on for Apis Mellifera species is on in some foothill areas of the state.