Beekeeping hit by disease, ‘Kenjige’ menace

Apiculture or Beekeeping helps in increasing the income of people in villages across the district. However, a disease coupled with 'Kenjige' (ants) menace have affected the bee-keeping in the district.

The attack on bee colonies by 'Kenjige' has resulted in the death of bees and the bee-keepers are in distress.

The bee colonies were also affected by a disease at Inakanahalli, Bachalli, Bettadakoppa, Kumaralli, Heggadamane, Hanchinalli, Kothanalli, Beedalli, Mallalli, Jakkanalli and other villages in Beddadalli Gram Panchayat.

The apiculture was also hit by a disease way back in 1993. Now, once again the colonies are affected by a disease and the honey production has been affected.

The villages situated on the foothills of Pushpagiri have conducive weather for apiculture. There is good demand for the honey produced in these villages.

The farmers allege that bees have started dying due to 'Gaali Mara', a kind of flowering tree, that are grown on large scale in the land belonging to Forest department. Gaali Mara starts flowering in the month of November and December and also produce gum-like substance. When the bees sit on the flowers for nectar, they get trapped in the gum and die. The branches of Gaali Mara should be pruned before it starts flowering, said farmer Rajappa.

The bee hives are also attacked by 'Kenjige' (ants). "I had collected colonies of bees from forest and kept them in 14 bee keeping boxes. Within a few months, the bees are missing. There are no solution to check the menace of "Kenjige," said Palangappa, another bee keeper.