Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Thinking beyond Western commercial honeybee hives: towards improved conservation of honey bee diversity

Biodiversity and Conservation volume 26, pages 3499–3504 (2017)Cite this article

Abstract

A decline of wild pollinators, along with a decline of bee diversity, has been a cause of concern among academics and governmental organizations. According to IPBES, a lack of wild pollinator data contributes to difficulties in comprehensively analyzing the regional status of wild pollinators in Africa, Latin America, Asia and Oceania. It may have also contributed to the prevailing lack of awareness of the diversity of honey bees, of which the managed Apis mellifera is often considered as “the (only) honey bee,” despite the fact that there are eight other honey bee species extant in Asia. A survey of 100 journal articles published in 2016 shows that 57% of the studies still identified A. mellifera as “the honey bee.” In total, 80% of studies were conducted solely on A. mellifera. This focus on A. mellifera has also caused the honey standard of Codex Alimentarius and the European Union to be based solely on A. mellifera, causing improper evaluation of honeys from other species. We recommend adapting current standards to reflect the diversity of honey bees and in the process correct failures in the honey market and pave the way towards improved protection of honey bee species and their habitats.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution.

Access options

Buy single article

Instant access to the full article PDF.

39,95 €

Price includes VAT (Netherlands)

References

  • Adams WM, Aveling R, Brockington D, Dickson B, Elliott J, Hutton J, Roe D, Vira B, Wolmer W (2004) Biodiversity conservation and the eradication of poverty. Science 306:1146–1149. doi:10.1126/science.1097920

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • BAR (Bureau of Agricultural Research) (2016) BAR seminar series for July: bee product dev’t and apitherapy in animals. Department of Agriculture Republic of the Philippines. http://www.bar.gov.ph/index.php/press-room/photo-releases/5664-2015-06-seminar-bee-products. Accessed 08 Dec 2016

  • Bogdanov S, Lüllmann C, Martin P, von der Ohe W, Russmann H, Vorwohl G, Oddo LP, Sabatini A-G, Marcazzan GL, Piro R, Flamini C, Morlot M, Lhéritier J, Borneck R, Marioleas P, Tsigouri A, Kervkliet J, Ortiz A, Ivanov T, D’Arcy B, Mossel B, Vit P (1999) Honey quality and international regulatory standards: review by the international honey commission. Bee World 80(2):61–69. doi:10.1080/0005772X.1999.11099428

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bradbear N (2009) Non-wood forest products 19. Bees and their role in forest livelihoods, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Rome

    Google Scholar 

  • CBD (Convention on Biological Diversity) (2016) Revised annotated provisional agenda. https://www.cbd.int/doc/meetings/cop/cop-13/official/cop-13-01-add1-rev2-en.pdf. Accessed 08 Dec 2016

  • Corade N, Delhomme B (2008) Le territoire comme fondement de l’avenir des petites A.O.C viticoles: l’exemple de l’A.O.C Pécharmant en Bergeracois. Communication au XLV Colloque de l’ASRDLF, Rimouski

  • Crane E (1999) The world history of beekeeping and honey hunting. Routledge, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Crane E, Vu VL, Mulder V, Tran CT (1993) Traditional management system for Apis dorsata in submerged forests in Southern Vietnam and Central Kalimantan. Bee World 74(1):27–40. doi:10.1080/0005772X.1993.11099151

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • EC (European Commission) (2016) Beekeeping and honey. http://ec.europa.eu/agriculture/honey_en. Accessed 09 Dec 2016

  • EU (European Union) Council (2002) Council directive 2001/110/EC of 20 December 2001 relating to honey. Off J Eur Communities 10:47–52

    Google Scholar 

  • Fox R (1982) Religion and society among the Tagbanua of Palawan Island. National Museum, Philippines

    Google Scholar 

  • Garibaldi LA, Stefan-Dewenter I, Winfree R et al (2013) Wild pollinators enhance fruit set of crops regardless of honey bee abundance. Science 339(6127):1608–1611. doi:10.1126/science.1230200

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Garnett ST, Sayer J, du Toit J (2007) Improving the effectiveness of interventions to balance conservation and development: a conceptual framework. Ecol. Soc. 12(1):2

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hassen TB, Tremblay D-G (2016) Labels of origin and terroir: the case of the certified wine label ‘Québec Certified Wines’ and the protected geographical indication ‘Ice wine Québec’. J Wine Res 27(1):41–64. doi:10.1080/09571264.2015.1132198

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • IPBES (Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services) (2016) Thematic assessment of pollinators, pollination and food production. http://www.ipbes.net/publication/thematic-assessment-pollinators-pollination-and-food-production. Accessed 08 Dec 2016

  • Itioka T, Inoue T, Kaliang H, Kato M, Nagamitsu T, Momose K, Sakai S, Yumoto T, Mohamad SU, Hamid AA, Yamane S (2001) Six-year population fluctuation of the giant honey bee Apis dorsata (Hymenoptera: Apidae) in a tropical lowland dipterocarp forest in Sarawak. Ann Entomol Soc Am 94(4):545–549

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Koeniger G, Tingek S, Koeniger N (2010) Honey bees of Borneo: exploring the center of Apis diversity. Natural History Publications (Borneo), Kota Kinabalu

    Google Scholar 

  • McLoone P, Warnock M, Fyfe L (2016) Honey: a realistic antimicrobial for disorders of the skin. J Microbiol Immunol 49(2):161–167. doi:10.1016/j.jmii.2015.01.009

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Neumann P, Carreck NL (2010) Honey bee colony losses. J Apic Res 49:1–6. doi:10.3896/IBRA.1.49.1.01

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • NTFP-EP (Non-Timber Forest Products Exchange Programme) (2015) All set for Madhu Duniya! http://ntfp.org/2015/02/all-set-for-madhu-duniya-2015/#. Accessed 08 Dec 2016

  • Oldroyd BP, Nanork P (2009) Conservation of Asian honey bees. Apidologie 40(3):296–312. doi:10.1051/apido/2009021

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Oldroyd BP, Wongsiri S (2006) Asian honey bees: biology, conservation, and human interactions. Harvard University Press, Cambridge

    Google Scholar 

  • Partap U (2011) The pollination role of honeybees. In: Hepburn R, Radloff SE (eds) Honeybees of Asia, 1st edn. Springer, Heidelberg, pp 227–255

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Potts SG, Roberts SPM, Dean R, Marris G, Brown MA, Jones R, Neumann P, Settele J (2010) Declines of managed honeybees and beekeepers in Europe. J Apic Res 49:15–22. doi:10.3896/IBRA.1.49.1.02

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Potts SG, Imperatriz-Fonseca V, Ngo HT, Aizen MA, Biesmeijer JC, Breeze TD, Dicks LV, Garibaldi LA, Hill R, Settele J, Vanbergen AJ (2016) Safeguarding pollinators and their values to human well-being. Nature 540:220–229. doi:10.1038/nature20588

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Radloff SE, Hepburn HR, Engel MS (2011) The Asian species of Apis. In: Hepburn R, Radloff SE (eds) Honeybees of Asia, 1st edn. Springer, Heidelberg, pp 1–22

    Google Scholar 

  • Shanley P, Pierce AR, Laird SA, Binnqüist CL, Guariguata MR (2015) From lifelines to livelihoods: non-timber forest products into the twenty-first century. In: Pancel L, Köhl M (eds) Tropical forestry handbook, 2nd edn. Springer, Heidelberg, pp 1–50

    Google Scholar 

  • Tehel A, Brown MJF, Paxton RJ (2016) Impact of managed honey bee viruses on wild bees. Curr Opin Virol 19:16–22. doi:10.1016/j.coviro.2016.06.006

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • UN (United Nations) News Centre (2016) UN conference adopts “Cancun Declaration” ramping up efforts to protect world’s biodiversity. http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=55712#.WEp0VXeZORs. Accessed on 09 Dec 2016

  • Wallberg A, Han F, Wellhagen G, Dahle B, Kawata M, Haddad N, Paulino Simões ZL, Allsopp MH, Kandemir I, De la Rúa P, Pirk CW, Webster MT (2014) A worldwide survey of genome sequence variation provides insight into the evolutionary history of the honeybee Apis mellifera. Nat Genet 46:1081–1088. doi:10.1038/ng.3077

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • WHO (World Health Organization) and FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations) (2016) Codex Alimentarius international food standards. Standard for honey. http://www.fao.org/fao-who-codexalimentarius/standards/list-of-standards/en/. Accessed 09 Dec 2016

Download references

Acknowledgements

Denise Margaret S. Matias is grateful to the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), Foundation fiat panis, and The Eva Crane Trust for financial support. The authors thank the Non-Timber Forest Products-Exchange Programme and the Madhu Duniya network for their insights.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Development Research (ZEF), University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany

    Denise Margaret S. Matias & Christian Borgemeister

  2. The German Development Institute/Deutsches Institut für Entwicklungspolitik (DIE), Bonn, Germany

    Denise Margaret S. Matias

  3. Leuphana University, Lüneburg, Germany

    Henrik von Wehrden

Authors
  1. Denise Margaret S. Matias
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Christian Borgemeister
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Henrik von Wehrden
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Denise Margaret S. Matias.

Additional information

Communicated by Peter Bridgewater.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Matias, D.M.S., Borgemeister, C. & von Wehrden, H. Thinking beyond Western commercial honeybee hives: towards improved conservation of honey bee diversity. Biodivers Conserv 26, 3499–3504 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-017-1404-y

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-017-1404-y

Keywords

  • Asian honey bees
  • Bee conservation
  • Forest community
  • Forest livelihood
  • Honey standards
  • Pollination

Search

Navigation