Studying bees

Studies of Mayan beekeepers (Yucatan, Mexico) reveal they have a considerable and complex 'non-scientific' knowledge of local flowering and the honey production cycle. It specifically embraces: (i) factors relevant when establishing an apiary – maximum distance of hives apart is 3 km; water availability; direct access to roads; combination of old and young vegetation (particularly abundance of Gymnopodium floribundum; (ii) identifying melliferous flora – melliferous flora is classified according to quality and quantity of the honey produced; 34 species are considered important at different times of the year. Finest honey and large quantities are obtained from G. floribundum followed by Viguiera dentata; the worst honey is from Lysiloma latisiliquum; (iii) management of the vegetation surrounding the apiaries – management of vegetation is minimum, mainly cutting plants that could impede growing of important melliferous plants, or protecting (= not cutting) the latter; nevertheless, some of the most important melliferous are dominant in the vegetation. The beekeepers are also well informed about the problems they face in regards to forest clearing, the commercialization of products, and other issues related to their livelihood.