Migratory Behavior of Apis cerana

Abstract Apis cerana also known as Asiatic honeybee or Himalayan honeybee is small bee native to southern and southeastern Asia. Apis cerana is one of the bee species that can be domesticated and used in apiculture, mostly in wooden box with frames. In size, they are similar or smaller than Apis melifera and have more prominent abdominal stripes. The capacity of adapting in wide range of climatic conditions has made Apis cerana more popular among the beekeepers around the world. Honey yield is lesser as they form small colonies but is of high nutritional and medicinal value and since the honey storage is in less amount, their tactic is to produce biological surplus to reproductive swarms. Excess number of young bees that result in too much brood food, limited space for brood, overcrowding of adult worker bees and reduced transmission of queen pheromone among the workers are the major reasons for swarming in Apis cerana. Swarming distance when they are in invasive mode is 10 Km whereas in colonization mode, the distance is lesser. Absconding is common but is reduced at colder regions. Migrations are seasonally predictable consequences of resource depletion or dearth, sharp decline in pollen and nectar availability, extreme drought, prolonged rainfall, cold or the predator and pest attacks. Migration is generally seasonal and prepared but can be instantaneous during predator attacks. Keywords: absconding, environmental effects, predation, swarming, Apis cerana Cite this Article Bipin Aryal. Migratory behavior of Apis cerana. Research & Reviews: Journal of Crop Science and Technology. 2019; 8(3): 1–5p.