Beekeeping with Apis cerana: An indigenous tradition of tribal areas of Chamba district (Himachal Pradesh)

Abstract

Traditional beekeeping in Chamba is very primitive. This paper provides evidence besides focusing on the traditional methods adopted by the local beekeepers of Chamba district and their inherited traditional knowledge of beekeeping with Apis cerana. The cluster data of 250 traditional beekeepers were collected from 25 villages of five development blocks of Chamba district during 2018-2019. The suitable agro-climatic conditions, plenty of wild as well as cultivated bee flora and their traditional knowledge offer vast potential for the development and success of apiculture in the district. The traditional wall hives, known as Ganar, are made on the walls of the under-construction/newly constructing kachha houses by keeping space (25-30 cm x 25-30 cm). The size of log hives depends upon the tree truck collected from the forest. Honey harvesting is done in a rational way by squeezing the combs, hence destructions of beehives. Cleaning of hives is done with raw comb mixed with flower extracts or juniper/ pine needles, which in turn helps them to attract swarms. Unfortunately, traditional beekeeping of A. cerana is under threat due to the construction of pucca houses and the lack of scientific knowledge of beekeeping of the traditional beekeepers.