Plants used by andaman aborigines in gathering rock-bee honey

Abstract

The giant rock bee,Apis dorsata, of Asia is a migratory and ferocious wild bee, which has not yet been tamed. It is the chief source of honey and beeswax in the Andaman region besides being an important pollinating agent. Smoking the nests, which destroys the bees and their brood, has been the only method of honey extraction practised from ancient times. The negrito Onge tribals of Little Andaman use the sap ofOrophea katschallica to repel the bees while extracting honey from the hives. Dutta and associates (1983) reported that the sap ofAmomum aculeatum, an herb growing in dense tropical forests of South Andaman, acts as a tranquiliser for these bees; with the aid of this sap, honey can be harvested from their hives by natives without protective apparel while the bees remain docile. Further, the hives can be bagged in nylon nettings and transported to desired sites to establish apiaries. A second discovery of similar bee-tranqulising properties in the sap ofZingiber squarrosum of the same habitat is reported here. The pheromoneallomone relationships and economic implications are briefly discussed.