Apiculture, Species of Honey bee, Production of Honey and Wax

Apiculture, Species of Honey bee, 

• Honey bees are social insects and found all over the world.

• They are active throughout the year but in the spring season when flowering occurs they prepare a strong colony.

• Their colony comprises prominently three members - Queen, worker and drone.

• Worker make communication by weagle dance with the other members of society while they are near source of food.

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• This dance is known as language of bee , demonstrated by the Karl Von Frish. Honey bees have a good division of labor. 

                                                     Development of members of Honey bee colony

• Queen lays both fertilized and unfertilized  eggs after fertilization.

• Drones are produced from unfertilized eggs whereas Worker are developed from fertilized eggs.

• When workers feed royal jelly then they are converted into queen. Worker are sterile male developed from unfertilized eggs.

• This is called as Arrhenotoky. Whereas drones are fertile male. They fertilize the queen to lay eggs.

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• Worker are builders, repairers and fanners of bee hives.

Species of Honey bee

• There are four species of honey bee.

Apis dorsata

• This bee is called Rock bee or Giant honey bee.

• These bees are very difficult to domesticate due to being ferocious in nature.

• This species produces largest amount of honey than all species of honey bee.

Apis indica

• This is called as Indian bee. They prefer to live in dark places.

• They are easily domesticated due to their gentle nature.

Apis florea

• It is a little bee. They yield very small amounts of honey.

• They have a rare stinging nature.

Apis mellifera

• It is called as European honey bee. They are important in terms of commercial purpose.

• They are easily domesticated and can be improved by the many years.

Remember 👌👌Honey bee likes to rear and resides in fruit orchard like apple peaches,plums cherries pears melon cucumbers etc.

Apiculture

• The rearing and domestication of honey bees for the production of honey and  beeswax is called Apiculture.

• It is one of the important cottage industries in various countries.

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• For a successful apiculture, following views should be kept in mind.

• The honey bee should be gentle in nature for easy domestication. Honey bees should construct strong colonies.

• Honey bees should have the ability to protect from enemies. Bee can produce more honey from its comb.

• Honey is an important product of honey bees. For the production of honey,the bee collects nectar from the flowers.

• The nectors are hydrolysed by the saliva and converts sucrose into glucose, fructose, and levulose.

• In addition to this , honey is rich in thiamine, riboflavin, pantothenic acids so it is regardless as best food and tonic.

• Honey is used for preparing candles, cakes and also used in Unani and Ayurvedic medicine.

• Bee wax is released by the hypodermal gland  of workers.

• It is used in manufacture of cosmetics, candles, polishes carbon paper etc.