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The Asian Rock bee/ honey bee (Apis dorsata) is the most common bee species in India. With bee keeping as a lucrative activity in many parts of the country, Apis cerana and the introduced Apis mellifera (the European honey bee) are also well known among farmers. In central and western India, there is Apis florea, in the Himalayas there is the Apis laboriosa and in the North East, we have the Apis andreniformis.
The less sung heroes of the pollinator world are the native pollinators. There is growing evidence from farming systems across the world that native pollinators are crucial for crops. Research in India has shown how several crops benefit from non-Apis species. An estimated 700 species belonging to other taxa have been reported from India. Among the non-Apis species, there are communal nesting bees such as stingless bees (Tetragonula sp.), carpenter bees (Xylocopa sp) and Ceratina sp. There are the blue banded bees (Amegilla sp.) that are solitary and ground nesting. Then there are the solitary nesting Megachilidae (leaf cutter), mason bees and Halictidae members.
Agrobiodiversity is key to support a diversity of pollinators in terms of providing foraging resources. It is also important to maintain as much as possible forests and forest fragments. Various farmer, FPO and academic interactions have proven how the European honey bee is being aggressively promoted across the country. This calls for a pitch to conserve native pollinators. An Alliance building was attempted as part of the Duleep Matthai Nature Conservation Grant for conserving native pollinators, which includes non-Apis species, many kinds of solitary and communal bees.
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