Stingless bees in the state of Karnataka, India and their cultural importance

Literature records indicate that ethnic people from different areas of Western Ghats practice meliponiculture. However, ethnobiological knowledge and beekeeping practices remain poorly documented. Herein, we report traditional knowledge and current status of meliponiculture practices among five ethnic communities (the Brahmins, the Gowdas, the Naiks, the Marathas and the Kunbis) of Western Ghats region in the state of Karnataka. We provisionally identified two species of the stingless bee from Karnataka: Tetragonula iridepennis (Smith) and Lisotrogona caecciae (Nurse). We conducted ethnographic surveys in 6 districts of Karnataka in 2021 and recorded traditional uses and current practices of the meliponiculture in the region. We also offer a quantitative analysis to explore relative cultural importance of stingless bees among these ethnic groups. Bees and bee products are primarily used for food, medicines, crafts, and cultural beliefs. Bamboo poles, clay pots, and traditional log hives are used to keep stingless bees in the front and backyards. Among the five ethnic communities, the Brahmins are practicing most sustainable meliponiculture using some innovative hives built from locally available materials. Moreover, they are exploring safe honey extraction techniques for minimal damage to the colonies. The Kunbis tribe, who lives primarily inside the Kali Tiger Forest Reserve utilizes the bees and bee products maximally in comparison to other four ethnic communities. We also gather biological information: nesting substrates, nesting characteristics, and behavior of bees from the area which will be crucial for the local conservation and sustainable meliponiculture in the Western Ghats region of India.