Indigenous beekeeping practices and conservation efforts for native honey bee in Barot Valley, Himalayas, India

A survey focusing on the importance of indigenous knowledge to conserve A. cerana for exploring opportunities in business with bees and also to preserve traditional knowledge was conducted at three different altitudes of the valley viz., Jogindernagar (1220 m), Multhan (1852 m), Chelra De Malahn (2117 m). The observations revealed that the cavity hives were special traditional hives in valley area, not reported from other districts of Himachal Pradesh practising traditional beekeeping. Cavity hives with 180 × 16 × 19 cm average dimensions were located at bottom of wooden wall of first floor, in front of beam of the house. The bee-eating birds, wasps, and ants were the major threats to the honey bee population. Furthermore, the study finds that the socio-economic impact of the conservation efforts on local communities is highly rewarding.