DIFFERENT TYPES OF HONEY  BEES IN INDIA AND THEIR HONEY YIELD 

India has a rich diversity of honey bees, ranging from large wild colonies that build exposed combs on cliffs and trees to small bees that are suitable for backyard beekeeping. Honey bees are important not only for honey production but also for pollination of agricultural and horticultural crops, maintenance of biodiversity, and rural livelihood generation.

The major honey bees associated with India are Rock Bee, Indian Hive Bee, Little Bee, European/Italian Bee, and Stingless Bee (Dammer Bee). Their colony behavior, nesting habits, management requirements, and honey yields differ considerably.

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1. Rock Bee – Apis dorsata

The Rock Bee, scientifically known as Apis dorsata, is one of the largest honey bees found in India. It is mainly a wild bee and is commonly seen in forests, hills, tall trees, cliffs, buildings, and other elevated locations.

Major Characteristics

• Scientific name: Apis dorsata
• Common name: Rock Bee, Giant Honey Bee
• Size: Large compared with other Indian honey bees
• Nature: Highly defensive and aggressive
• Nesting: Builds a single large comb in exposed locations
• Colony: Large colonies with thousands of bees
• Distribution: Widely distributed across India, particularly forested and hilly areas
• Management: Difficult to maintain in conventional bee boxes

Honey Production

A strong Apis dorsata colony can produce substantial quantities of honey, but the commonly quoted figure of 36 kg per comb per year should not be interpreted as a guaranteed annual yield. Since these bees are generally not domesticated, production varies greatly according to colony strength, flowering conditions, season, and location.

Under favorable conditions, a harvested wild colony can providE large quantities of honey,making Rock Bee important source of forest honey.

2. Indian Hive Bee – Apis cerana indica

The Indian Hive Bee, Apis cerana indica, is one of the most important indigenous honey bees for beekeeping in India.

Unlike Rock Bees, Indian Hive Bees can be maintained in movable-frame bee boxes, making them suitable for small-scale and commercial beekeeping.

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Major Characteristics

• Scientific name: Apis cerana indica
• Common name: Indian Honey Bee / Indian Hive Bee
• Size: Medium
• Nature: Generally manageable and less aggressive than Apis dorsata
• Nesting: Multiple parallel combs inside cavities or bee boxes
• Adaptability: Well adapted to Indian climatic conditions
• Management: Suitable for scientific beekeeping

Honey Yield

A typical colony may produce approximately 6–8 kg of honey per year, although production can vary significantly.

With good colony management and abundant flowering sources, yields can be higher in favorable locations.

3. Little Bee – Apis florea

The Little Bee, Apis florea, is one of the smallest true honey bees found in India.

It is generally found in warm and dry regions, where it builds small exposed nests on branches, bushes, walls, and other protected structures.

Major Characteristics

• Scientific name: Apis florea
• Common name: Little Bee / Dwarf Honey Bee
• Size: Small
• Nature: Relatively gentle compared with Apis dorsata
• Nest: Usually a single small exposed comb
• Colony size: Small
• Management: Difficult to maintain in conventional commercial bee boxes

Honey Yield

Honey production is comparatively low, commonly around 0.5 kg per colony per year, although actual production can vary.

Because the colony is small and stores relatively little honey, Apis florea is not generally preferred for commercial honey production.

4. European or Italian Bee – Apis mellifera

The European honey bee, commonly called the Italian bee, is one of the most important species used in modern commercial beekeeping.

Apis mellifera was introduced into India and is now widely used in organized beekeeping, particularly in regions with suitable climatic conditions and abundant floral resources.

Major Characteristics

• Scientific name: Apis mellifera
• Common name: European Honey Bee / Italian Bee
• Size: Medium
• Nature: Generally manageable
• Colony size: Large
• Nesting: Multiple combs in movable-frame hives
• Commercial value: Very high
• Management: Highly suitable for commercial beekeeping

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Honey Yield

A well-managed colony can produce approximately 25–40 kg of honey per year, although production can be considerably different depending on the region and management system.

In strong nectar flows, colonies may produce significantly more than the average.

5. Stingless Bee / Dammer Bee – Tetragonula iridipennis

The bee often referred to in older Indian literature as the Dammer Bee is commonly associated with stingless bees. The species name Melipona irridipennis found in some older references is outdated; Indian stingless bees are generally classified under genera such as Tetragonula.

One commonly encountered Indian species is Tetragonula iridipennis.

Major Characteristics

• Common name: Stingless Bee / Dammer Bee
• Scientific classification: Tetragonula spp.
• Size: Very small
• Nature: Stingless
• Colony: Relatively small
• Nest: Cavities, walls, tree hollows, boxes, and other protected locations
• Honey: Produced in small storage pots rather than large conventional combs

Honey Production

Honey production is very low compared with Apis mellifera or Apis cerana. Traditional references often mention yields of approximately 50–100 g per colony, though actual production varies with species, colony size, forage, and management.

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HONEY PRODUCTION COMPARSION 

Honey Bee	Scientific Name	Approx. Honey Yield/Colony/Year	Commercial Importance
Rock Bee	Apis dorsata	Highly variable; large quantities can be harvested from wild colonies	High ecological & forest value
Indian Hive Bee	Apis cerana indica	6–8 kg	Good for small-scale beekeeping
Little Bee	Apis florea	~0.5 kg	Low honey yield; high ecological value
European/Italian Bee	Apis mellifera	25–40 kg	Very high commercial importance
Stingless/Dammer Bee	Tetragonula spp.	~0.05–0.10 kg in traditional estimates	Specialty honey & pollination

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Important: These are approximate figures, not fixed production standards. Honey yield varies widely with colony strength, bee genetics, floral resources, climate, hive management, disease pressure, and whether colonies are migrated between flowering crops.