Social bees and the current status of beekeeping in Indonesia

Abstract

Highly eusocial bees in Indonesia are diverse and encompass three groups: I.e., honey bees (Apini), stingless bees (Meliponini), and bumble bees (Bombini); each of which stores resources such as honey in their nests. The native peoples of Indonesia have used honey for a long time, hunting for honey from both wild honey bees and stingless bees. Although regional beekeeping has been developing from traditional to modern hives and methods, traditional beekeeping remains in practice using local honey bees and stingless bees. While data for national honey production is not recorded properly, scattered evidence demonstrates that honey production by hunting Apis dorsata has taken a large role in national honey production. Production from A. mellifera in Indonesia is tending to decrease owing to changing food sources, pests, and climate change. In the last decade, stingless bees that produce increasing amounts of medicinal honey, propolis, and their derivative products have gradually been developed. Indonesia needs to develop beekeeping by enhancing both existing natural ecosystems and artificial green environments as sources of food, and also promoting native stingless bees.