Context
- The CSIR-Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine has developed a protocol enabling Apis mellifera to survive sub-zero winters in the Kashmir Valley.
- Earlier, beekeepers in Jammu and Kashmir had to migrate colonies to warmer northern plains (Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan) for six months, incurring high costs and about 30% bee mortality.
- The intervention eliminates migration and has enabled the region’s first mono-floral apple honey, advancing India’s Sweet Revolution.
1. Who Lives in the Hive? (Social Structure)
A honeybee colony is like a well-organized city where everyone has a specific job:
- The Queen: There is only one queen per hive. She is the mother of all bees and her only job is to lay eggs to keep the colony growing.
- The Workers: These are all females but they do not lay eggs. They do all the hard work: cleaning the hive, feeding the babies, guarding the door, and flying out to collect nectar.
- The Drones: These are the males. They don’t have stingers and they don’t collect food. Their only job is to mate with a new queen.
2. How do Bees Talk? (The Dance)
Bees don’t use words; they use “dances” to tell their friends where the flowers are:
- Round Dance: This means “Food is very close (less than 100 meters)!”
- Waggle Dance: This is for food that is far away. The bee shakes its body in a figure-eight pattern. The angle of the dance tells the other bees which direction to fly (using the sun as a map), and the length of the shake tells them how far to go.
3. Common Honeybees in India
- Rock Bee (Apis dorsata): Large, wild, and aggressive. They build huge single combs on tall trees or buildings.
- Indian Bee (Apis cerana): The most common local bee that farmers keep in boxes.
- Italian Bee (Apis mellifera): Brought from Europe because they are very calm and produce a lot of honey.
- Stingless Bee: Very tiny bees that don’t sting. Their honey is used mostly as medicine.
4. Important Bee Related Facts
- Shimmering: When a predator (like a wasp) comes near a Rock Bee nest, thousands of bees move their wings together to create a “shimmer” effect to scare it away.
- Pollination: This is the most important job. While collecting food, bees move pollen from one flower to another. Without this, many of our favorite fruits and vegetables wouldn’t grow.
- Five Eyes: Bees have two big eyes to see shapes and three tiny eyes on top of their head to help them navigate using light.
| The Sweet Revolution (Mithi Kranti) The “Sweet Revolution” is a strategic government initiative aimed at promoting apiculture to increase honey production and rural income. Pollination Services: Bees contribute to the pollination of approximately 75% of food crops. Estimates suggest that bee pollination can increase crop yields by 15% to 20%.Mono-floral Honey: This is honey sourced primarily from a single plant species (e.g., Apple, Litchi, or Mustard). It commands a premium price in the international market due to its specific flavor and medicinal properties.Madhukranti Portal: An online platform for the registration and traceability of honey sources to prevent adulteration and ensure quality for exports. National Beekeeping and Honey Mission (NBHM) Launched in 2020 under the Atmanirbhar Bharat package, it is a Central Sector Scheme implemented by the National Bee Board (NBB).Focuses on production and productivity through scientific beekeeping and pollination.Focuses on post-harvest management, including processing, storage, and marketing.Focuses on Research & Development (R&D) for specific agro-climatic zones (like the Kashmir sub-zero protocol). Global Standing India has risen to become the second-largest exporter of honey globally (as of 2024-25 data).Major honey-producing states include Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Punjab, and Bihar |
Q. Consider the following statements regarding honeybees:
1. In a honeybee colony, the drones are males that have no stingers and do not collect nectar.
2. The "Round Dance" is used by bees to communicate the exact direction of food located far away.
3. The "Sweet Revolution" is a government initiative to promote the production of honey and related products.
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)
Solution:
STATEMENT 1 IS CORRECT: Drones are indeed males; they lack stingers and their only biological role is reproduction, not foraging.
STATEMENT 2 IS INCORRECT: The Round Dance is only for food nearby and does not give direction. The Waggle Dance is the one used for distance and direction.
STATEMENT 3 IS CORRECT: The Sweet Revolution is the official name for the government's drive to boost the apiculture (beekeeping) sector in India.
