# Reena Varghese Kannimala
Bees are vital in our food chain as they are the most important pollinators for food crops and account for around one-third of our food supply. Besides, they give us honey, beeswax, royal jelly, propolis and even venom.
There are mainly four types of bees found in Kerala - perunthen (rock bee), njodiyal (giant honey bee), cheruthen (stingless bee) and kolthen (dwarf bee). Besides these there are varieties like the pig-resembling pannikaruka bee, panthena and ground bee found in the shades of virgin forests and grasslands. Unfortunately, there have not been enough studies done on them.
Rock bees
These are the wild variety and are called vanthen and parathekkan in local parlance. They are the largest in the species and have the scientific name Epis dorsato. As summer approaches, they set up colonies on the branches of large trees inside forests. They have their colonies on slopes of high rocks, under bridges and high-rise buildings. They have just one comb that will be around 1-metre long 75 cm wide. Honey is at the top of the comb with eggs at the lower. Honey production is usually at its peak in March. About 35 kg of honey can be obtained from a single comb. It is usually collected only at night when there is no moonlight as the bees are dangerously aggressive, leading to loss of human lives. Their colonies on tree tops are generally to be complementary for the survival of trees.
Pig-like bees
It is slightly smaller and darker compared to the rock bee and has only a single comb. It is its dark colour and pig-like nose that earns it such a name. Colonies are also in forests and branches with a groundward slant, and honey is extracted during the day as it is generally not very aggressive. Honey production is high during the Malayalam month of Makaram (January-February). The average production is around 20 kg of honey.
Since a variety of these bees make their hives on vines in evergreen forests, tribespeople generally call them ‘chudal’ and about 15 kg of honey can be extracted and this can be done during day or night.
Golden bees
The hives of these bees known by the scientific name Epis sirana indica are spherical in shape and similar to that of wasp nests with a lot of cavities. A few of the chambers inside have around 100-150 gm of honey which is slightly sour in taste. They nest in tree burrows and stone walls. Each colony consists of the queen, the workers and the drones. The golden-skinned queen is longer and more beautiful than other flies.
These are generally domesticated and kept in cages. Inside the cages, there will be seven to twelve hives, with honey at the top of the chambers, pollen, eggs and worms at the bottom. On an average, 10 kg of honey can be collected for each cage annually.
Stingless bees
It is the smallest and darkest of the bees. Its colonies are in small holes of trees and mud mounds in tropical areas. It lacks a sting and is harmless, but can come in droves if their nest is harmed. They are called dammar bees and collect stains from trees to build their nest.
Little bees
Though they are poor honey yielders, their honey has great medicinal value, aroma and taste. Most of the honey is collected during the Malayalam month of Karkidaka (June-July). They can be domesticated in cages and their honey is highly priced. There is also another similar species, noodle bee, which is slightly dark, generally aggressive and produces more honey.
Mud bees
These bees belong to the nociceptive species and are commonly found near tree clusters in grasslands. Slightly smaller in size, they are more discoloured than the nodule flies. They nest in burrows in the soil and have seven to twelve combs.
Though the honey has the colour of soil, it is sweet which, according to tribespeople, makes bears dig up soil to consume the honey. These bees are generally found in forests of Idukki, Pathanamthitta and Kakki in Kerala.