Apis cerana, the Asiatic honey bee, is a native South Asian pollinator. It forms highly organized, multi-comb colonies in tree hollows. Resilient to local pests and predators, this gentle bee plays a critical role in sustaining regional biodiversity and agricultural ecosystems.
Why In News?
The Karnataka government announced proposals to declare the Asiatic honey bee (Apis cerana) as the State Insect.
About Apis cerana
Apis cerana, commonly known as the eastern honey bee, the Asiatic honey bee, or Tudave Jenu (in Kannada), belongs to the Order Hymenoptera and the Family Apidae.
Geographic Range and Habitat: The species natively inhabits South, Southeast, and East Asia. It easily adapts to diverse environments, thriving in habitats ranging from dense urban areas to high-altitude forests.
Nesting Behavior: The bees build multiple parallel combs inside natural cavities and generally form smaller colonies.
Ecological Significance: The bee acts as a native pollinator for agricultural crops and Western Ghats flora, pollinating high-altitude mass-flowering plants like the Neelakurinji.
Economic and Medicinal Value: Local communities rely on this species for Asian smallholder beekeeping. Harvesters highly value Cerana honey for its unique aroma, high enzyme activity, and extensive traditional medicinal uses.
Unique Defense Mechanism (Heat Balling): The worker bees employ a unique defensive strategy called heat balling to kill predators, such as giant Asian hornets.
IUCN Status: Not assessed by the IUCN Red List.
Conservation Threats: The bee populations face severe and ongoing declines due to habitat loss, climate change, and intense pesticide-load pressure from modern agriculture.
Source: THEHINDU
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PRACTICE QUESTION Q. Consider the following statements regarding Apis cerana:
Which of the statements given above are correct? (a) 1 and 2 only (b) 2 and 3 only (c) 1 and 3 only (d) 1, 2, and 3 Answer: c Explanation: Statement 1 is Correct: Apis cerana (the Asiatic or Indian honey bee) is a cavity-nesting species native to India and widely reared in traditional and scientific apiculture. Statement 2 is Incorrect: Apis cerana nests inside natural cavities (or man-made boxes) by building multiple parallel combs. The bee that builds a single, large comb hanging in exposed, open areas (such as high cliffs or tall buildings) is the Apis dorsata (giant Rock Bee). Statement 3 is Correct: The Karnataka State Government officially initiated the process to designate Apis cerana as the official State Insect to strengthen biodiversity conservation and recognize its critical role as a pollinator. |
Karnataka is officially in the process of declaring Apis cerana, commonly known as the Asiatic honey bee or Tudave Jenu, as its State Insect.
Apis cerana is a crucial native pollinator that easily adapts to the local climate, especially at higher elevations in the Western Ghats, unlike the introduced European honey bee (Apis mellifera).
It is a unique defensive behavior where Apis cerana worker bees surround a predator (like a giant hornet) in a tight ball and vibrate intensely to raise the temperature and CO2 levels, thereby killing the threat.
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