Wild Bees

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Wild Bees : Traditional Honey Harvesting in Cambodia. <br />Apis Dorsata, the Giant Honey Bee, is a honey bee of southern and southeastern Asia living mainly in forested areas. Each colony consists of a single vertical comb (sometimes approaching a square metre) suspended from above, and the comb is typically covered by a dense mass of bees in several layers. When disturbed, the workers may exhibit a defensive behavior known as defense waving. The signal is transmitted to nearby workers that also adopt the posture, creating a ripple effect across the face of the comb. <br />Honey hunters use a smoker. Here the smoker is made entirely from natural materials found in the forest. Smoke calms bees; it initiates a feeding response in anticipation of possible hive abandonment due to fire. <br />Indigenous peoples have traditionally used this species of bee as a source of honey and beeswax.