Question

What do you mean by bee-keeping? Explain it in brief.

Hint:

Bee-keeping = apiculture. It gives honey, wax, pollination benefits, and rural income.

Answer 1

Step 1: Definition.
Bee-keeping, also called apiculture, is the scientific method of rearing and management of honeybees for the production of honey, beeswax, and other products.

Step 2: Requirements for bee-keeping.
\[\begin{array}{rl} \bullet & \text{Knowledge of the biology and behaviour of honeybees.} \\ \bullet & \text{Availability of suitable location for bee colonies.} \\ \bullet & \text{Selection of suitable species like Apis mellifera (Italian bee) or Apis cerana indica (Indian bee).} \\ \bullet & \text{Use of bee-hives, proper maintenance, and protection from diseases and predators.} \\ \end{array}\]

Step 3: Importance of bee-keeping.
\[\begin{array}{rl} \bullet & \text{Provides honey (nutritious food and medicine).} \\ \bullet & \text{Produces beeswax (used in cosmetics, polishes, and pharmaceuticals).} \\ \bullet & \text{Helps in pollination, increasing crop yield.} \\ \bullet & \text{Generates rural employment and supplementary income.} \\ \end{array}\] Conclusion.
Bee-keeping is an important agro-based industry with economic as well as ecological benefits.