honeybee

agriculture

apiculture

horticulture

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Experts to suggest which species found in state will earn coveted titleWhichwill it be? That is the only question that remains. Karnataka has become the first state in the country to decide that it will have a state insect. And a decision has also been taken that the honeybee will be the state insect. So now all the species of honeybees found in Karnataka would be ‘contesting’ to garner maximum votes so that it can win the title of state insect.There are four to five important species of honeybees found in the state and officials are awaiting suggestions and responses from different departments such asandto decide which species would be the best to win the title.One of the unique species is the smallest honey bee called Indian Stingless Bee which is just 5 mm in size and can be found in the state. These bees are also cultivated in Coorg and has some medicinal properties, say experts.SP Seshadri, chairman, Karnataka State Biodiversity Board, says, he has discussed his idea of making honey bee as the state insect with the government. “The home ministry and horticulture department are supporting the move,” he says.Pritam S, research associate (Zoology), Karnataka State Biodiversity Board, says no other state in the country has decided its state insect and they decided to have honeybee as the state insect because they are the best pollinators in the world.“It does not only have a social and commercial value but is also a major support to the farmers. They are world’s best pollinators. If there are no bees, there would be no crops. One cannot manually pollinate and hence, the idea to have it as the state insect,” he says. He adds that now the process is on to decide which species of honeybee should win the title. He says the team will be writing to apiculture department of different universities too to decide which one to be ‘crowned’.“There are many department such as agriculture, horticulture and apiculture which deal with harvest and extraction of honey and bee yards. They would share their suggestions and then we would finalise the species,” he says.