A Review of Honeybee Biodiversity Behaviour and Management

Seminar paper from the year 2012 in the subject Biology - Zoology grade: A ( Atlantic International University ) (School of Science and Engineering) course: Master of Science (Applied Entomology) language: English abstract: Bees evolved in specific areas of the world long ago before they spread to becomeglobally as they are today (Tables 1 and II) according to Kugonza (2009). As theyspread they became adapted to the local ecological conditions of the different areaschanging in morphology and behaviour to fit within the requirements of the ecosystemgiving rise to a wide bee biodiversity of bee species and races we see today. Bees areclassified under Animal Kingdom Phylum Arthropoda. They belong to Class Insectawhich is divided into 29 Orders. Bees belong to the order Hymenoptera which has threeSuper families namely: Apoidea (bees) Formicoidea (ants) and Vespoidea (wasps).There are around 30000 named species of bees (Apoidea). Apoidea is further dividedinto several Families namely Apidae (social bees) colletidae Andrenidae HalictidaeMelittidae Megachilidae and Anthophoridae. Most of the Families have solitaryindividuals: each female bee makes her own nest lays a single egg and provides food forthe single larva that develops. However a high level of social development is shown bythe species in Apidae where the individuals live together in a permanent large colonyheaded by a single egg-laying queen (BfD 2003c). Apidae is composed of four genera:Apis (honeybees) Trigona and Melipona (stingless bees) and Bombus (bumble bees).According to MAAIF (2012a) the genus Apis is comprised of 5 main species of honeybees: Apis dorsata (the giant honey bee); Apis laboriosa (the darker giant honey bee);Apis florea (the little or dwarf honey bee); Apis cerana (formerly Apis indica) is theeastern hive honey bee; and Apis mellifera (western honey bee). These species haveevolved and differentiated into more species and races of honey bees