Beekeeping has been practicing in Nagaland from time immemorial. Most of the local inhabitants of Nagaland practice both \u2018Apiculture\u2019 and \u2018Meliponiculture\u2019 but apiculture is widely accepted. Stingless bees are social bees, which lack a functional sting. \nThey store honey and pollen, and are called stingless honeybees. Because of their biodiversity, their great abundance in the forests, and because they co-evolved with the local vegetation, stingless bees are imperative for the pollination in various tropical ecosystems.
\nThey visit many types of plants and produce highly valued medicinal honey. Stingless bee keeping is an activity that can be integrated into forestry to diversify income from non-timber products and horticulture for pollination services. Pollination contributes to an increase in agricultural production and regeneration of natural vegetation. Meliponiculture (stingless beekeeping) is an activity that can contribute to the regeneration of the natural forest vegetation and to increase in agricultural production through pollination services by the stingless bees.
\nThe honey produced by stingless bees though is little compared to commercial bees, but it medicinal values is used in treatment of wounds\/injuries, burns, dysentery, cholera, cough, rheumatism.
\n It is also used as a medicine in bites by snakes, spiders and poisonous insects. The wax of stingless bees is soft and easy to work and is used in making smaller works of art, and blacksmithing.
\nSome modern boxes are also being used for convenience of rearing, easy management of the hive and also for easy honey extraction.
\n Meliponiculture can be encouraged because it is an activity which can be undertaken by anyone as it is easy and takes minimal time and effort.
\nDue to high content of medicinal value, Stingless bee honey is sold at premium price and there is high demand and can be an income generating enterprise in rural areas and can be turned into a lucrative business. Bee\u2019s Honey is natural , un refined food consumed as much in fresh or canned state. It is readily assimilated and is more acceptable to the stomach, Particularly in the case of ailing persons and infants, than cane sugar. It is an antiseptic and is applied to wounds and burns with beneficial results. Generally People from the tribal community are collecting the honey from wild bee combs and sold in crude form. There is very good export potential for good quality and original honey obtained from Bee\u2019s comb.
\nLiza Barua Bharali, SMS(Plant Protection) KVK Phek, Nagaland. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"