Beekeeping with Apis cerana in Vietnam has a long tradition. Modern beekeeping techniques were introduced in the 1960s and Vietnam began exporting honey in 1985. Beekeeping has since expanded, with honey production reaching 55,000 tons and exports reaching 47,500 tons in 2015. Beekeeping provides important income for forest communities through honey and wax sales. Projects to promote beekeeping in forests involve training local people on basic beekeeping and hive technologies, then providing hives and tools. Research is needed on forest bee flora, appropriate hive styles, queen rearing methods, and common bee diseases in the region.

1. Beekeeping with Apis cerana in Vietnam
Phung Huu Chinh
Mountainous Bee Development JSC.

2. ContentsContents
I.I. General beekeeping in VietnamGeneral beekeeping in Vietnam
II.II. Beekeeping development withBeekeeping development with ApisApis
ceranacerana in forest areain forest area
III. Research initiatives needed to promote
forest honey in Laos

3. I. General beekeeping in VietnamI. General beekeeping in Vietnam
1. Introduction1. Introduction
► Traditional beekeeping withTraditional beekeeping with A. ceranaA. cerana exited forexited for
a long time.a long time.
► In 1960s, the modern techniques wasIn 1960s, the modern techniques was
introduced tointroduced to A. ceranaA. cerana in the north of Vietnam.in the north of Vietnam.
► A. melliferaA. mellifera bees was introduced to the south.bees was introduced to the south.
► In 1985 Vietnam started export honeyIn 1985 Vietnam started export honey
► From 1990 honey quality has been improved,From 1990 honey quality has been improved,
beekeeping developed, export expandbeekeeping developed, export expand
► In 2015 Vietnam export 47,500 mt honeyIn 2015 Vietnam export 47,500 mt honey

4. Apis dorsataApis dorsata
Apis laboriosa
2. Honey bee species

5. Apis florea

6. A stingless house in Khanh Hoa
Photo Kim So

7. Beekeeping with Apis cerana

8. Beekeeping with Apis mellifera

9. 3. Main floral sources3. Main floral sources
There are more than 100 nectar resourcesThere are more than 100 nectar resources
in Vietnamin Vietnam
Some main plant species such as:Some main plant species such as:
 Rubber-Rubber- Hevea brasiliensisHevea brasiliensis
 Coffee –Coffee – Coffea robustaCoffea robusta
 LonganLongan Euphorbia longanaEuphorbia longana
 Acasia mangiumAcasia mangium
 Litchi –Litchi – Litchi chinensisLitchi chinensis
 Spanish needle –Spanish needle – Bidens pilosaBidens pilosa
 Melaleuca cajuputyMelaleuca cajuputy
 CashewCashew Anacardium occidentaleAnacardium occidentale

10. Main floral sourcesMain floral sources
Rubber- Hevea brasiliensis
Eupatorium odoratium Acasia mangium
Sapium discolor

11. Longan Coffee
Litchee
Bidens pilosa

12. Table 1. Vietnamhoney production and
exportation from1985 to 2015
Year
Criteria
1985 1990 2000 2002 2008 2015
No. of Colonies
(thousand)
80 150 400 600 900 1,300
Honey
production
(ton)
500 1,500 8,000 19,000 21,000 55,000
Honey export
(ton)
50 800 6,000 15,700 17,500 47,500

13. Table 4: Changes in number of A. cerana &
A. mellifera in Vietnam
Unit: 1,000 colonies
• 1974 sacbrood disease occurred in A. cerana
• Since 2002 number of A. mellifera colonies have
increased very fast.
1965 1974 1985 1995 2000 2005 2015
A. cerana 1.5 74 22 50 120 200 350
A. mellifera 1.5 3 20 70 280 700 1,100

14. The challenges to Beekeeping
Development
 Varroa & Tropilaelaps mites, Nosema and
chalkbrood diseases - Apis mellifera,
 Sacbrood, European foulbrood – A. cerana;
 Pesticide hazards;
 False honey;
 Antibiotic residues in honey;
 Honey color of Acacia mangium turns dark
very quickly.

15. II. BeekeepingII. Beekeeping
development withdevelopment with ApisApis
ceranacerana in forestin forest

16. 2.1 Relationship, benefits, impacts
of beekeeping in forest areas
 Bees and plants relationship: Plants supply nectar
and pollen for bees. Bees collect nectar
and pollen from flower so they pollinate for flowers,
allows them to reproduce by setting seeds.
 Results of pollination by bees
 - Increase crops yield
 - Nice shape of crops, better quality, easy
accepted by consumers with higher price.
 Honeybees and wild pollinators are crucial to keep
biodiversity of the ecosystem.

17. Benefits, impacts of beekeeping in forest
areas
 Beekeeping plays an important role in
the livelihoods of people in forest areas.
 Honey and wax is main income source
for many forestry community.
 Easy to market Apis cerana honey
because it very fragrant and fetches
higher price even 2-4 times higher than
one of Apis mellifera

18. 2.2 Five honey production systems with
Apis cerana in Vietnam
5 systems honey production can be identified:
Honey hunting of wild colonies (very less).
Family beekeeping with fixed comb hives (log or square
hive) ; sedentary (less).
Family beekeeping with top bar hive (log or square hive);
sedentary (less)
Family beekeeping with frame hives, sedentary or partly
migratory.
Group beekeeping with frame hives, migratory (three to
four time/per year), professional beekeepers.

19. Table 1. Appropriate choice of hive
technology for sedentary beekeeping
Modification from P. D. Paterson
Resource
available
Objective Appropriate
technology
Excellent flora Maximum return Frame hive
Good flora
Limited cash
Medium return Top bar hive or
Fixed com hive
Les good flora
Very limited cash
Any return welcome Fixed com hive

20. 2.3 The steps of a Beekeeping Project2.3 The steps of a Beekeeping Project
1.1. SurveySurvey
2.2. Open basic beekeeping trainingOpen basic beekeeping training
3.3. Establish Beekeeping Club or Interested GroupEstablish Beekeeping Club or Interested Group
4.4. Provide beehives and necessary beekeeping tools.Provide beehives and necessary beekeeping tools.
5.5. Technical visitsTechnical visits
6.6. Follow up trainingFollow up training
7.7. Train local beekeeping extensionTrain local beekeeping extension
8.8. Evaluation & extent success beekeeping modelEvaluation & extent success beekeeping model

21. Traditional hivesTraditional hives

22. TOP BAR HIVESTOP BAR HIVES
Top bar with the same length
Top bar with the different length
Top bar hive with empty place
in the top

23. Wrong top bar techniquesWrong top bar techniques
Top bar size is too big
Beekeeper can not take out top bar

24. 2.3 Training2.3 Training
 Number of trainees are selected for one courseNumber of trainees are selected for one course
20-30.20-30.
 Teaching methods:Teaching methods:
- 70% for practice and 30 % for theory.- 70% for practice and 30 % for theory.
 Learn farmer’s skill (catching swarm, keepingLearn farmer’s skill (catching swarm, keeping
bees in top bar hives…)bees in top bar hives…)
 Exchange experiences.Exchange experiences.
 Group discussion.Group discussion.

25. Beekeeping training
How to approach and check a hive How to remove frames from hive

26. Making bee-hive andMaking bee-hive and
frameframe

27. Learning by practicingLearning by practicing
Checking bee hive Dividing colony

28. Learning by practicingLearning by practicing
Harvesting honey Inspecting bee diseases

29. Grafting queen rearingGrafting queen rearing

30. Game and quiz
Wax processing

31. 3. Research initiatives needed
to promote forest honey in
Laos:
 2.1 Bee flora research
 - Research on bee flora which provide only nectar or
only pollen or both nectar and pollen, which ones are
main nectar source. Determining calendar of bee flora
and dearth season.
 - Research on bee flora improvement through planting
of bee trees in agroforestry and reforestation schemes.
(Acacia mangium, Rubber tree (Hevea brasiliensis), or
fruit trees: longan, rambutant, lichee, coffee orange,
lemon, grapefruit….)

32. 2. Research initiatives needed
to promote forest honey in
Laos:
 2.2 Research on bee management:
 - Conduct an experiment to compare 4 bee hive styles:
Fixed-comb hive, top bar hive, Newton (Indian) hive
and Vietnamese hive to find which one is suitable to
keep in Laos or own area.
 - Determine standard top bar and frame size by
measure comb space.
 - Use of simple queen rearing methods
 - Absconding and swarming control
 - Season adjustment of bee management

33. Measure comb space
Fine top bar size
Wrong top bar size
Measure comb space is very important
To make correct top bar and frame size

34. 2. Research initiatives needed
to promote forest honey in
Laos:
 2.3 Research on bee diseases and pest
 - Make survey on bee disease such as: European
foulbrood and sacbrood those are two common and
serious diseases of Apis cerana.
 - Make survey on pest and enemy of bees: Wasp, wax
moth, ant, toads….

35. Thank you for attention