Traditional Meliponiculture by <i>Naga</i> tribes in Nagaland, India

Abstract

In Nagaland, three species (<i>Tetragonula irridipenis</i>, <i>Tetragonula laviceps</i> and <i>Lophotrigona canifrons</i>) of stingless bees were observed; however, most of the beekeepers were rearing <i>T. irridipenis</i>. Stingless bees were found to prefer low light, high humidity, and stenothermal climatic conditions with diverse abundant flora. The traditional colony capture method of terrestrial and subterranean stingless bee was logical and practical and shows immense scope to introduce precise method with scientific interventions. Usually log hive and rectangular bee boxes were used by <i>Naga</i> beekeepers, although a few have tried to modify and standardize the bee box as per their own experience. In these boxes, there was no scope for colony inspection without colony disturbance and during harvesting of bee hive products, colonies were fully disturbed. Terrestrial stingless bee colonies were arranged in cluster nests; broods were observed in the central portion at basal part, pollen balls arranged around the brood area and honey pots arranged on the surrounding beehive walls. These architecture shows envisage for standardization of scientific stingless bee box. The underground stingless bee (<i>L. canifrons</i>) broods were observed in the central part with pollen pots and honey pots arranged around the brood area. Their traditional method of harvesting beehive products requires more scientific intervention for improvement to minimize the colony disturbance and other losses. Stingless bee honey is a home remedy to all <i>Naga</i> tribes and they use it for various diseases.