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How many species of Apis honey bees nest in cavities so they are easily managed by people?

Updated: Jan 26


Only Apis mellifera and Apis cerana nest in cavities with sufficient population to be easily managed for honey harvest. A. florea and others nest in cavities but not in large enough colonies to make regular tending and honey harvest practical.

Apis cerana colonies are much smaller, perhaps one-quarter the size of Apis mellifera, so they yield a much smaller honey harvest per colony. Photo above is of an Apis cerana managed colony in the trunk of a coconut tree. photo by James C. Nieh as published in Researchgate.

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