The health of honey bee colonies cannot be understood apart from the landscapes in which they live. Urban and agricultural developments are two of the most dramatic and widespread forms of human land use, but their respective effects on honey bees remain poorly understood. Here, we evaluate the relative attractiveness of urban and agricultural land use to honey bees by conducting a foraging choice test.

In Nagaland, three species (Tetragonula irridipenis, Tetragonula laviceps and Lophotrigona canifrons) of stingless bees were observed; however, most of the beekeepers were rearing T. irridipenis. Stingless bees were found to prefer low light, high humidity, and stenothermal climatic conditions with diverse abundant flora. The traditional colony capture method of terrestrial and subterranean stingless bee was logical and practical and shows immense scope to introduce precise method with scientific interventions.

The potential for infectious pathogens to spillover and emerge from managed populations to wildlife communities is poorly understood, but ecological, evolutionary and anthropogenic factors are all likely to influence the initial exposure and subsequent infection, spread and impact of disease. Fast-evolving RNA viruses, known to cause severe colony losses in managed honeybee populations, deserve particular attention for their propensity to jump between host species and thus threaten ecologically and economically important wild pollinator communities.

The suitable agro-climate, plenty bee flora and immemorial practice with rich traditional knowledge offers enormous potential for development and success of apiculture in the state of Nagaland.

One way that family farmers improve their resilience to both climatic and economic shocks is to diversify what is produced. More and different crops and livestock, particularly local varieties and breeds are being promoted. Two other options stand out too – bees and trees. These have the added advantages of complementing the production of agricultural crops and enhancing the agroecosystem. In Zimbabwe, the Ruzivo Trust has been promoting beekeeping, and the results are showing the sweet taste of success. Bees can help farmers break out of poverty.

Initiatives and innovations promoted by Keystone Foundation have helped promote bee keeping amongst farmers and tribal communities around the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve. The impacts are visible in terms of better yields in coffee, mango and vegetable crops.