Migrating Giant Honey Bees (Apis dorsata) Congregate Annually at Stopover Site in Thailand

Willard S. Robinson,Anna Dornhaus

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0044976

Abstract

Giant honey bees (Apis dorsata) of southern Asia are vital honey producers and pollinators of cultivated crops and wild plants. They are known to migrate seasonally up to 200 km. It has been assumed their migrations occur stepwise, with stops for rest and foraging, but bivouacking bees have rarely been seen by scientists. Here I report discovery of a site in northern Thailand where bivouacs appeared in large congregations during the wet seasons of 2009 and 2010. The bivouac congregation stopover site is a small mango orchard along the Pai River. Bivouacs rested in branches of mango and other tree species in the immediate vicinity. Departures were preceded by dances indicating approximate direction and apparently, distance of flights. Such consistent stopover sites likely occur throughout southern Asia and may support critical, vulnerable stages in the life history of giant honey bees that must be conserved for populations of the species to survive.

Highlights

The giant honey bee, Apis dorsata, is an important pollinator [1,2] and honey producer [3] that ranges through southern Asia from Pakistan to Indonesia [4]
Though details vary with region, colonies typically live in lofty communal nest sites of
Functions of Stopover Site It is possible that bivouac congregation stopover site’’ (BCSS)’s occur as migration stopover grounds throughout southern Asia, likely in geographical locations with landmarks that are recognizable to bees and could be found instinctively, just as drone congregation areas are found by both instinct and environmental cues [22]

Summary

Introduction

The giant honey bee, Apis dorsata, is an important pollinator [1,2] and honey producer [3] that ranges through southern Asia from Pakistan to Indonesia [4]. Though details vary with region, colonies typically live in lofty communal nest sites of

Methods

Results

Conclusion