Beekeeping and Managed Bee Diversity in Indonesia: Perspective and Preference of Beekeepers

Damayanti Buchori,Araz Meilin,Novri Nelly,Nova Hariani,I Putu Sudiarta,Rika Raffiudin,Akhmad Rizali,Midzon Johannis,Puji Lestari,Dewi Sartiami,Windra Priawandiputra,Jackson F Watung,Johanna Audrey Leatemia,Rusli Rustam,Yulia Pujiastuti,Amrul Jihadi,Mahardika Gama Pradana,Edi Syahputra ,Itji Diana Daud ,Jauharlina Jauharlina ,H Hasriyanti

doi:10.3390/d14010052

Abstract

There is a high diversity of bees in the tropics, including honey bees and stingless bees, which are the main sources for honey and other ecosystem services. In Indonesia, beekeeping practices have been developed for centuries, and they have been part of many cultural practices in many traditional communities. The objective of this research was to study the beekeeping status and managed bee diversity in Indonesia and to investigate beekeepers’ perspectives on the factors and obstacles related to beekeeping. Direct interview and online interview were conducted to gain data on bees and beekeepers. In total, 272 beekeepers were interviewed across 25 provinces. Samplings of honey bees and stingless bees were also done during direct interviews for further identification and, when possible, pollen identification. All data and specimens were then sent to IPB Bogor for compilation and identification. We recorded 22 species of bees, including 3 species of honey bees and 19 species of stingless bees, that are reared by Indonesian beekeepers, with Apis cerana and Tetragonula laeviceps as the most common species. Our research also found that the majority of beekeepers fall into the category of the younger generation (30–39 years old) with educational background mostly from senior high school. Based on the beekeepers’ perspectives, there are several obstacles to beekeeping, especially the occurrence of death of bee foragers attributed to climate, food source, and pesticides. In conclusion, there is a need to develop a strategy for beekeeping and bee conservation in Indonesia, especially for adaptation and mitigation from environmental changes with a particular focus on climate and land-use change.

Highlights

Bees provide invaluable ecosystem services in Asia especially Indonesia such as pollination services and their production of honey, brood, propolis, wax, bee pollen, royal jelly, and bee venom [1,2]
Based on direct interviews and online questionnaires that were derived from 272 beekeepers in Indonesia, we found that the majority of beekeepers’ ages are between 30 and 39 years old (34%) and that their educational background is mostly senior high school (31%)
We found that A. cerana and Tetragonula laeviceps were the most chosen bees species reared by beekeepers (Figure 5)

Summary

Introduction

Bees provide invaluable ecosystem services in Asia especially Indonesia such as pollination services and their production of honey, brood, propolis, wax, bee pollen, royal jelly, and bee venom [1,2]. Eusocial bees are diverse in Indonesia and encompass three groups, i.e., honey bees, stingless bees, and bumble bees, each of which stores resources such as honey in their nests [3]. The high richness of species and uniqueness of the distribution of eusocial bees in Indonesia may relate to the country’s broad geographic expanse, varied topological and environmental landscape, and complex geological history [4]. Indonesia has recorded five species of native honey bees [5,6], at least 46 species of stingless bees, and two species of bumble bees [3]. A stingless bee species, Tetragonula laeviceps, is widely distributed and covering the whole of Indonesia, while bumble bees (Bombus spp.) are only found in the highlands of Java and Sumatera [7,8]. A recent study in Jambi, Sumatera, found 39 species of bees, including both the honey bees and the stingless bees [9]

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Conclusion