A sweet stingless secret

Stingless bees are gradually growing more popular as pollinators among rural farmers and urban gardeners, writes Varsha Gowda

When visiting a monument, R Chandrashekhar, a farmer and apiarist based in Chikkamagaluru, makes sure to keep an eye out for cracks and crevices in these famed structures. Having reared bees for most of his life, sniffing out stingless bees has become something of a hobby. “In Dharmasthala, I found at least 10 colonies of stingless bees. Even the belli ratha (silver carriage) had a few families of stingless bees,” he adds. 

Though stingless bees live among us, they lead quiet, unobtrusive lives. To the untrained eye, these bees may appear as tiny black specks, flitting around flowers or hovering close to soil and plant life.

A 2017 study found that nine varieties of stingless bees were recorded in India. Of these, Tetragonula iridipennis, more commonly known in Karnataka as dammer bees, mujanti jenu or nasari jenu was found to be widely distributed.  

In rural regions, they locate their colonies in wall cracks, holes, tree trunks and logs. In fact, studies revealed that the majority (86.67%) of these bees’ nests were present in brick walls and the remaining (13.33%) were in cavities of hollow tree trunks. Similarly, in cities, they make their homes in insulated spaces — between walls, concrete crevices and in meter boards. 

Though they are incredibly common and non-aggressive, many colonies face the threat of destruction. “People do not know about the bees and use fire or smoke to remove the colonies,” adds Chandrashekhar. A movement in 2016 mujanti jenu ulisi, belisi, rakshisi, aimed to raise awareness. Chandrashekhar, who was part of the movement, volunteered to move the bees, accepting several house calls until recently. He received calls from towns and cities like Shivamogga and Bengaluru. 

Chandrashekhar, who has around 250 colonies himself, explains that there is a growing interest in rearing these bees among farmers and urban dwellers. 

New interest

“Stingless bees are favourable to both urban dwellers and farmers since they travel only short distances and due to their small size are found to visit the smallest of flowers, including tulsi,” explains Venkatakrishna Bhat B, an apiarist and farmer based in Bainkrodu village, Puttur taluk. Bhat has about 250 colonies of dammer bees and he also keeps several colonies of Apis cerana or the Asian honeybee. 

Dammer bees are one of the smallest bee species in the world, measuring about 4 mm. According to a 2016 study, the bees visit 45 plant taxa, belonging to 29 families, including a range of medicinal plants. For this reason, many believe that the honey produced is also medicinal. 

“A colony can produce only about 300 to 500 ml of honey annually. The honey tastes sweet and bitter and a little different. The honey is highly valued due to its medicinal properties,” adds Bhat. Although honey production is limited, 300 ml of honey can fetch up to Rs 3,000.

For many who keep stingless bees, the pollination potential of these tiny insects is more appealing than the monetary benefits they may present. As a result, commercial production of dammer bees is yet to take off. 

“Nasari bees are able to pollinate coffee, coconut, banana and mango flowers. This makes them very useful for horticulture farmers,” says Chandrashekhar. He explains that it was common for agriculturists to keep stingless bees and other varieties in the past, particularly in the Malnadu regions. The practice is now fading. 

“Understanding the importance of pollinators in every ecosystem is one of the primary motivations behind keeping colonies in the urban context. For stingless bees, having a small garden, consisting of 20 pots is enough to sustain the bees,” says Alexander A K, an apiarist who has colonies of both dammer bees and Apis cerana in Bengaluru. 

Another resident of Bengaluru, Rajesh, got his first colony of stingless bees in January this year. “I was always interested in bees but was wary of stinging. Through some research, I found that stingless bees were kept widely in Kerala. At a Gandhi Krishi Vigyana Kendra event, I was finally able to arrange for a colony,” he says. 

Rajesh has now multiplied the colony into two. “They are quite interesting. This bee is such a small insect, twice the size of a mosquito but it is able to produce a very strong and flavourful honey, with little maintenance. Those who have terrace gardens will benefit greatly from the pollination,” he adds.

Untapped potential 

Stingless beekeeping has become extremely popular in Kerala, with over 20,000 farmers engaging in the practice. However, in Karnataka, the adoption of stingless beekeeping is still slow. Though the dammer bees are distributed across the state, it remains a niche interest, with only a few hundred practitioners. 

“These bees can be found everywhere, but not many people know of them or dismiss them as any other insect. However, they are hardworking and industrious,” says Alexander.  Owing also to their non-aggressive nature, they are highly suitable to be handled by children and adults alike. “Mujanti jenu do not have stings and do not need specialised equipment,” says Bhat. Colonies can be placed in any container.

Many stingless beekeepers have designed bee residences out of coconut shells, hollowed bamboo logs, PVC pipes and even mud pots. Lately, the University of Agricultural Sciences, Bengaluru has standardised wooden boxes that beekeepers can use specifically for this variety.

“The bees are suitable to be used in poly-houses and farms since they can tolerate different temperatures and can survive off fewer plants. No major diseases have been found as well,” says Dr Vijay Kumar, a scientist at UAS. He adds that since the price of one colony can go up to Rs 3,000, there is a need for government support and subsidies to promote the practice.   

Alexander an apiarist with a hollowed bamboo beehive. DH Photo by B K Janardhan

Stingless bees picturd inside a hive with brood cells; the inside of a hive with pollen and honey pots.

Stingless bee pictures for spectrum 

Alexender Stingless beeskeeper. DH Photo B K Janardhan

Alexender Stingless beeskeeper. DH Photo B K Janardhan

Stingless bee pictures for spectrum 

Cut-off box - Stingless bee food and nesting 
Stingless bees forage to collect valuable floral resources needed for their survival and these include nectar for energy requirement pollen for protein water for cooling hives resins and other plant materials for nesting. The bees were found to use resin droplets to make the entrance of the hive elongated and sticky to trap predators and prevent them from reaching the inner sanctum of the hive.