The following points highlight the four important species of bees. The species are: 1. Rock Bee 2. Little Bee 3. Indian Honey-Bee 4. European Bee.
1. Rock Bee (Apis Dorsata):
This honey-bee is found all over India including upto the height of 12,000m in the hilly regions. It is the largest sized (20 mm) Indian bees and also known as Bombara. The bees build hives in tall trees, rocks, caves and ceilings of the deserted buildings. They are migratory in habit and move to the hilly areas in swarm during June to July and return to the plains in winter.
They can build large-sized hives which are about 1.5 m to 2.0 m from side to side and above 1.0 m from top to bottom. Though a single hive produces up to 36 kg of honey during a year but the bee-keepers have rarely been successful in rearing due to the wild and ferocious nature of the worker bees.
2. Little Bee (Apis Florea):
They are mainly found in the plains of India. The bees are smaller than the other Indian bees. The queen is golden brown in colour and the drones are black with greyish hair. They make hives in tree holes, on the branches of trees and rock crevices. They frequently change their places and prefer to remain wild. The hive is considerably small and produces small amount of honey.
3. Indian Honey-Bee (Apis Indica):
They are found all over India both in the plains and hilly areas. The bees make hives in the side tree holes, thick bushes and on the mud walls and they mostly prefer to live in the dark protected places.
The workers in the plain region are yellowish white and at high altitudes are dark in colour. They ate gentle in nature, so bee-keepers use widely in apiculture. A single comb produces 2 kg honey in’ the plains and about 5 kg in the hilly regions.
4. European Bee (Apis Mellifera):
They are found in Africa, Europe, America, and Canada have also been introduced all over the world including India. They can make their nests in enclosed places and also gentle in nature. Each hive produces from 40-175 kg of honey.
‘Honey-bees are well-known for their organised social life and polymorphism. The nest of the honey-bee is known as the bee hive or comb. The practice of rearing bees in artificial hives for honey and wax is long known to man and is followed throughout the world.