Question

Rearing of bees is -
(a)Sericulture
(b)Apiculture
(c)Silviculture
(d)Horticulture

Answer 1

Hint: Bees are reared for the production of honey. The scientific name of the honeybee is Apis mellifera. Hence, the science of rearing bees is based on the scientific name of the bee.

Complete answer:
- The maintenance and rearing of bees is known as apiculture. It is also known as beekeeping. A human takes care of the bees, and the colonies are man-made. They are known as beekeepers or apiarists.
- The various products obtained from apiculture are honey, beeswax, propolis, flower pollen, bee pollen, and royal jelly.
- Bees are also used for pollination of flowers and are also reared to sell to other beekeepers.
- The area where the bees are kept is known as an apiary or a bee yard.

Additional Information: - Sericulture is the cultivation and maintenance of silkworms to produce silk. The most common silkworm studied and used to extract silk is Bombyx mori.
- Silviculture is the practice of controlling the growth, composition/structure, and quality of forests and forest crops to meet values and needs such as a requirement of a particular wood. The study of forests and woods is known as silvology.
- Horticulture is the technology and agriculture of plants for reasons such as food, materials, comfort, and beauty for decoration. The people working in this field are identified as gardeners, designers, and advisors in the food industry.

So, the correct answer is ‘apiculture’.

Note: - While most of the apiculture rear bees from the genus Apis, stingless honey-producing bees from the genus Melipona are also reared.
- In India, R. N. Mattoo was the person to start beekeeping with the Indian honey bee.
- Currently, the western honeybee or Apis mellifera is the most dominant species in India.