BEES 



Dammar 



THE INDIAN BEES 



from the following localities, the figures denoting the number of separate 

 samples to hand : Almora (2), Basin, Belgaum (2), Betul (3), Chhindwara, 

 Coimbatore (4), Damon, Dehra Dun (4), Dharwar (2), Kanara (2), Khandesh 

 (3), Madura, Nellore, Nilgiris (2), Panch Mahals, Kaipur (2), Katnagiri (3), 

 Rawalpindi, Sambalpur, Singbhum, South Kanara (2), Tenasserim and 

 Tinnevelly (2). It will thus be seen that these insects are practically 

 distributed all over India and Burma, and perhaps to a greater extent 

 than was known to Bingham when he wrote his Hymenoptera. That dis- 

 tinguished author describes twelve species, of which Melipona Iceviceps 

 of Tenasserim is the most interesting, since it affords (or at all events, is the 



Pwe-nyet. chief source of) the resinous substance known as Pwe-nyet. The follow- 

 ing are the vernacular names for the specimens of Melipona recently 

 procured : kunti, Jcote, kuntali, poye, nasari, bhinkwa, bankiia, misri, nasri- 

 jen, kosutteni, kulliada, musuruteniga, moye byah, etc., etc. 



PWE-NYBT. The insects referred to are said to build nests in hollows within 

 trees, crevices among rocks, and sometimes in holes in stone walls, etc. The interior 

 surfaces of the nests are lined with a resinous substance, and the entrance is 

 often formed into a beautiful projecting funnel also composed of a resinous sub- 

 stance the product for which these insects are valued. When the nests are small, 

 the resinous substance (or bees'-dammar) is not collected, but in the case of A. 

 itevicep* " the trumpet-shaped structure of resinous wax which very often forms 

 the entrance to the nests " projects from the hole in the tree for a foot or more. 

 "Home gives an interesting account of the finding of the nest of iff. rtifleorni*, 

 and states that the hollow in which it was built was coated all over with a layer 



Honey. of black wax, and that the cells, containing a dark honey of excellent flavour, 



were globular in shape, pendent side by side from the roof." w. rif/iro-ni* 

 is apparently the only Indian species that has been systematically Described. 

 Whether the forty odd samples indicated above are one and all derived from this 

 or from several species has not as yet been ascertained. Home's description of 

 the resinous lining and the comb is most valuable. Mr. Parish is careful to advise 

 us that he had not seen the interior of a hive of the pwe-nyet, but he suggests 



Suggestion as to that the external trumpet-shaped structure may be constructed by the bees from 



Formation. the resin of iiopea otlornta and other trees mixed with the oil of nijttrro- 



rm-ittiH itvriN. Hooper (Rept. Labor. 2nd. Mus., 1904-5, 23-4) furnishes a report 

 on two samples examined by him. It is, he says, a peculiar compound of various 

 resins and gum-resins. In a fresh state it may be moulded to any shape. Its 

 constants were determined as well as its solubility in alcohol and ether. He 

 promises a full report in the future, but for the purpose of comparison has specially 

 studied the resins and oleo-resins of Hoi>ea, Vuterla, camirium, and iHptero- 



Composition. cai'ims. So far, therefore, Hooper seems to confirm the popular opinion that 

 pwe-nyet is composed of certain gums and resins collected by the insects from 

 trees. Speaking apparently of the wax of the combs, Hooper further observes : 

 " The wax of the species of Mriipona has quite a different character and com- 

 position compared with that of the true bees. The blackish colour, sticky 

 consistence and higher melting point, acid and iodine values readily distinguish 

 it." According to Greshoff and Sach (Pharm. Weekblad., 47, 933), the substance 

 consisted of a mixture of 84 parts resin, 12 parts wax with 4 parts of an impurity 

 insoluble in alcohol. The resin melted at 60 and the wax at 66. But it is not 

 quite certain whether they had examined the true wax or the pwe-nyet. 



Uses of Pwe-nyet. " The resinous product collected and used by the 

 bees in making their nests is called ' pwe-nyet ' by the Burmese, and after 

 boiling in water and mixing with earth-oil or petroleum, it is largely used for the 



Caulking Boats, caulking of boats. The right of collecting ' pwe-nyet ' is sold by the Local 

 Government in Burma and Tenasserim yearly, and forms one of the sources of 

 revenue under Minor Forest Products " (Bingham, I.e. 560). 



D.E.P., IV. BEES'-HONE Y. The best names for honey are shahad, madh, 



iv., 263-71. madhu, sahut, sdkl, polee, ten, jenu, piya-ye, etc. The honey-bee would be 

 Honey. shahd-ki-makhi. 



It is not necessary to deal with this subject in detail after the treatment 

 Production. already given to Bees and Wax. The regions of production of the latter are 



128 



