Research Projects

Honey bees play a crucial role in constructing nests, which determine the productivity of brood and honey. Understanding the factors influencing nest building in honey bees is essential to understand their behavior. Few studies have reported abundant nectar flow and temperature trends as triggers for comb building, but the exact cues remain poorly understood. The study aims to investigate the stimuli necessary for comb building in the giant honey bee species A. laboriosa and A. dorsata, and the ecological context for comb-building activities across honey bee species. The study will be conducted in four areas within Arunachal Pradesh, focusing on five honey bee species. The study will assess site-specific variations in the number of honey bee nests, investigate the correlation between climatic determinants, and explore the implications of habitat variations on the chemical profile of beeswax secreted for comb building. The findings will contribute to effective management of sites and attract wild honey bees to nest in accessible locations for honey harvesting.