10. Beekeeping

Bradbear, Nicola

doi:10.3362/9781780443645.011

Cited by 3 publications

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“…For a long time, human societies have maintained a close relationship with stingless bees, mainly because of their interest in honey, the best-known bee product [1]. Besides their honey and pollen production, nowadays stingless bees have been recognised for their role as the providers of ecosystem services such as pollination of crops and native flora.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Meliponiculture in Quilombola communities of Ipiranga and Gurugi, Paraíba state, Brazil: an ethnoecological approach

Carvalho

Martins

Mourão

2014

J Ethnobiology Ethnomedicine

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BackgroundThe Quilombola communities of Ipiranga and Gurugi, located in Atlantic Rainforest in Southern of Paraíba state, have stories that are interwoven throughout time. The practice of meliponicultura has been carried out for generations in these social groups and provides an elaborate ecological knowledge based on native stingless bees, the melliferous flora and the management techniques used. The traditional knowledge that Quilombola have of stingless bees is of utmost importance for the establishment of conservation strategies for many species.MethodsTo deepen study concerning the ecological knowledge of the beekeepers, the method of participant observation together with structured and semi-structured interviews was used, as well as the collection of entomological and botanical categories of bees and plants mentioned. With the aim of recording the knowledge related to meliponiculture previously exercised by the residents, the method of the oral story was employed.Results and discussionResults show that the informants sampled possess knowledge of twelve categories of stingless bees (Apidae: Meliponini), classified according to morphological, behavioral and ecological characteristics. Their management techniques are represented by the making of traditional cortiço and the melliferous flora is composed of many species predominant in the Atlantic Rainforest. From recording the memories and recollections of the individuals, it was observed that an intricate system of beliefs has permeated the keeping of uruçu bees (Melipona scutellaris) for generations.ConclusionAccording to management techniques used by beekeepers, the keeping of stingless bees in the communities is considered a traditional activity that is embedded within a network of ecological knowledge and beliefs accumulated by generations over time, and is undergoing a process of transformation that provides new meanings to such knowledge, as can be observed in the practices of young people.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Meliponiculture in Quilombola communities of Ipiranga and Gurugi, Paraíba state, Brazil: an ethnoecological approach

Carvalho

Martins

Mourão

2014

J Ethnobiology Ethnomedicine

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Ethno-medicinal uses and cultural importance of stingless bees and their hive products in several ethnic communities of Bhutan

Gyeltshen,

Bhatta,

Gurung

et al. 2024

J Ethnobiology Ethnomedicine

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Background Indigenous and non-indigenous people in subtropical and temperate areas of Bhutan share an intricate relationship with stingless bees for diverse purposes including ethno-medicinal uses. Stingless bees hold significant importance in the realms of social, economic, cultural, and spiritual aspects. Bhutan's cultural traditions demonstrate a strong bond with the environment, exemplified by the regular use of honey from stingless bees for remedies such as treating the common cold, cough, and sore throat. Methods Ethnographic research was conducted to document the ethno-medicinal uses and cultural importance of stingless in Bhutan. We deployed semi-structured interviews with stingless beekeepers and honey collectors including traditional healers who perform religious rituals for curing and preventing physical and mental illness. Results We documented 22 different uses of stingless bee honey in food, medicine, veterinary medicine, crafts, beliefs, and religious purposes. The relative cultural importance (RCI) of stingless bees among Bhutan's ethnic communities was assessed through our calculations. It was determined that these bees hold notably greater significance for the Lhotshampa communities compared to other ethnic groups in Bhutan. This finding demonstrates the dependence of Hindu ethnic communities on natural resources in their everyday life. All participant communities largely exploit these bees through destructive extraction practices. They often find the natural nests in nearby forests, transfer them as a log hive to their backyards, and practice traditional meliponiculture. Conclusion The ethnic communities of Bhutan use stingless bees for various purposes and the local knowledge are persistent. However, significant efforts should be made to address the ethno-medicinal, ecological, biological, and commercial perspectives of meliponiculture in Bhutan.

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Ethno-medicinal uses and cultural importance of stingless bees and their hive products in several ethnic communities of Bhutan

Gyeltshen,

Bhatta,

Gurung

et al. 2023

Preprint

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Background: Indigenous and non-indigenous people in wet subtropical and warm temperate areas of Bhutan share an intricate relationship with stingless bees for diverse purposes including ethno-medicinal uses. Stingless bees are deeply associated with social, economic, cultural, and spiritual importance. Bhutan’s cultural practices exhibit a lot of connection to the environment. For instance, stingless bee honey is used routinely to treat the common cold, cough, and sore throat. These resources are usually regarded as a form of traditional knowledge and form an important part of ethnic culture. Methods: We conducted ethnographic research across the southern, western, and eastern regions of Bhutan. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with stingless beekeepers, and honey collectors from wild and traditional healers to document the ethno-medicinal uses and cultural importance of stingless bees. Results: We documented 22 different uses of stingless bee honey in food, medicine, veterinary medicine, crafts, beliefs, and religious purposes. We calculated the relative cultural importance (RCI) of stingless bees among the ethnic communities of Bhutan. We found that stingless bees and their hive products are significantly more important to the Hindu culture communities than other ethnic communities in Bhutan. This finding is consistent with the data in other countries and supports the dependence of Hindu culture ethnic communities on natural resources in their everyday life. All participant communities largely exploit these bees through destructive extraction practices. They often find the natural nests in nearby forests, transfer them as a log hive to their backyards, and practice traditional meliponiculture. Therefore, we discuss the future direction of meliponiculture for the sustainable use of these stingless bees in Bhutan. Conclusion: The ethnic communities of Bhutan use stingless bees for various purposes and the local knowledge is persistent. Many studies on medicinal plants and their uses have been documented in Bhutan, however ethno-biological knowledge on stingless bee and their hive products remain unexplored. Therefore, significant efforts should be made to address the ethno-medicinal, ecological, biological, and industrial perspectives of meliponiculture in Bhutan. This research paper will complement the national inventory of bee resources and traditional knowledge to manage them sustainably in Bhutan.

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10. Beekeeping

Cited by 3 publications

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Meliponiculture in Quilombola communities of Ipiranga and Gurugi, Paraíba state, Brazil: an ethnoecological approach

Meliponiculture in Quilombola communities of Ipiranga and Gurugi, Paraíba state, Brazil: an ethnoecological approach

Ethno-medicinal uses and cultural importance of stingless bees and their hive products in several ethnic communities of Bhutan

Ethno-medicinal uses and cultural importance of stingless bees and their hive products in several ethnic communities of Bhutan

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