STINGLESS BEES AND CLIMATE CHANGE Peter Kwapong Department of Entomology and Wildlife University of Cape Coast Ghana

Overview Introduction Stingless bees and their importance How stingless bees are impacted by human activities The result: Climate change Effects on bees Conservation of stingless bees and how they can mitigate climate change

Introduction God created the earth God entrusted the earth to man to manage on His terms Man decides he will manage it on his own term Man mismanages the earth. Consequence of Climate change its impact on man and biodiversity God wants us to return to him and reason together Stingless bees role in pollination and hive products Stingless bees role in biodiversity conservation and sustenance of livelihood.

Stingless bees Social bees and live together in colonies with a queen, workers (females), and drones (males). They store medicinal honey and other hive products such as propolis. They pollinate flowering plants in both agricultural and natural landscapes. Pollination service results in quality and quantity fruit and seeds Contribute to natural habitats and biodiversity conservation Provide primary health care to lots of rural communities through the use of their hive products in treating various ailments.

Man’s activity and stingless bees Stingless bees inhabit cavities of trees and logs Through logging and lumbering nests are destroyed Through bush burning and slash and burn methods of farming populations and colonies of stingless bees are threatened Since stingless bees are the main pollinators of various flowering plants, any poisoning with insecticide sprays will affect their populations. Unsustainable harvesting of stingless bees honey by the use of fire and also exposing the bees pose threat to their survival.

Climate change and stingless bees Forest trees no longer available for nesting Forage is scarce Population decline due to drought Bees species will drive to extinction The Eclipse of the Sun 29 March 2006 Bees at hive entrances Bees at forage sites

Stingless bee Project Work with rural communities to establish ISBC Collect and rescue stingless bees native to Ghana Multiply and carry out research for use in pollinations services and hive product development Create awareness to Africa and the world for their utilization against climate change Stingless bees can help sustain livelihood and conserve biodiversity.

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