Requirements for the Rafter Method of Sustainable

Management with Apis dorsata

By - Stephen Petersen

Apiculture Consultant, Toklat Apiaries

Fairbanks, Alaska 99712 akbeeman2000@yahoo.com

Abstract

The manufacture of purpose-made nesting sites to attract migrating swarms

of the Giant Asian Honeybee/Bambara bee (Apis dorsata) is termed “rafter
beekeeping” and is practiced in several locations across SE Asia. In order for
raftering to be successful there are several criteria that must be met, some
structural; others are environmental and cultural. This paper examines these criteria
and their application and introduction into potential environments. To exemplify
these criteria several case studies in SE Asia are examined.

Key words: rafter beekeeping, rafter potential, Apis dorsata, implementation

criteria.

Introduction

Rafter beekeeping is so named because purpose-made nesting sites are

placed in the proper environment at an angle (≈30°) resembling the rafters
(structural roof components) of a building. As they are placed typically near the
ground they allow easy access (little to no climbing involved) for honey harvest.
Because of the angle at which they are secured the bees store the majority of the
honey toward the top of the rafter resulting in a “honey head” that may be
sustainably harvested with no detriment to the brood.

The oft quoted phrase “build it and they will come” may hold true for golf
courses and theme parks but it is not always the case for rafter beekeeping. There
are four essential criteria that must be met before this type of management can be
implemented for Apis dorsata;

1) A lack of “natural” nesting sites (tall trees, water towers, cliffs) which will
force the bees to nest on the purpose-made rafters.

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 2) An abundance of bee friendly floral resources available at least on a seasonal
basis.
3) A widely recognized tenure or ownership of the rafters by individuals
enforced by community laws and culture.
4) Locally-available, long-lasting, sustainable materials from which to
construct the rafters; and, of course, the presence of bees themselves.

Current Status of Rafter Beekeeping

Rafter beekeeping has been practiced in select areas for many hundreds of
years but its’ origins may never be discovered (Petersen 2010, Tấn et. al. 1997). It
is my belief that the origins lay with some very astute observations – “the bees like
flowers and high smooth branches; I have lots of flowers in my area which the bees
will like but no tall trees as suitable nesting sites….. perhaps if I put up a “branch”
they would nest there”.

This surmise comes from my personal observations (Petersen 2010) in

Danau Sentarum National Park in West Kalimantan, Indonesia where, during the
rainy season in the seasonally inundated Kapuas Lake system, there is tremendous
bee forage potential but all the trees have small diameter branches and don’t extend
more than 5-6 meters above the high waters (a lack of “natural” nesting sites). A
very similar situation can be found in the Bay of Kampong Som (south coast of
Cambodia) where the smaller branches of seaside mangroves and, a bit further
back from the ocean. The shaggy-bark and almost-vertical orientation of
Melaleuca leucadendron limbs are not conducive to nesting but provide excellent
forage.

Rafter beekeeping is (and has been) practiced in several locations in South

East Asia (Map 1 pp. 4) and is referred to by several local names (Table 1 pp. 3). It
can be divided into two main groups based on the season in which the bees are
producing honey in the area - dry season (e.g. area around Siem Reap Cambodia)
and wet season (e.g. Kapuas/Danau Sentarum, West Kalimantan, Indonesia).

Dry season rafters are less intricate than their rainy season counterparts.
Most frequently dry season rafters are simple round logs (without any shaggy bark)
supported at either end by a forked pole driven into the ground or a natural fork in
a small tree. The rainy season rafters, on the other hand are hewn to shape being

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concave on the upper surface (much like a rain gutter) and convex (simulating a
smooth branch) on the lower surface.

A similar method to the aforementioned rafters was employed by Mahendra

where “attraction planks” were coated with bees wax and suspended in locations
formerly occupied by migrating swarms of Apis dorsata. After the planks had been
occupied and comb production initiated, the planks would be lowered on one end
forming an angle where the bees would store honey on the upper most apex. The
plank could be lower for ease of harvesting (Mahendra 1997).

Table 1- Location and local names of rafter beekeeping in SE Asia

Local
Location Season Migration Notes
name
Indonesia Dec-
<50 kms to
Kapuas Lakes, March #2 income activity
tikung surrounding
West Rainy (Petersen 2010)
mts.
Kalimantan season
Vietnam Important income
2 seasonal To other areas
U Minh forest gac-keo source (Tấn et. al.
harvests of the Delta
Mekong delta 1997)
Cambodia June-Sept To surrounding Important income
bong kong Rainy
Kampong Som season
mnts. <50 kms. source
<25 kms to For some, sole cash
Cambodia Dec-April
bong kong nearby income (Petersen
Siem Reap dry season
mountains 2005)
Not investigated by
Indonesia
this author see
Bangka Island
sunggau ? ? Nurtjahya (2012) &
& southern
Purwanto et. al
Sumatra
(2001)
Indonesia
tingku ? ? Hadisoesilo (2001)
Sulawesi
attraction
India ? ? Mahendra (1997)
planks

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Some Important Criteria for Establishing Rafter Beekeeping

For many years in the early 1900’s Westerners attempted to “teach the bees”
to become cavity nesters such as were managed in the West, all attempts were
doomed to fail. Rather than trying to adapt the bees to your management, efforts
with rafter beekeeping center around adapting management schemes to fit the bees.

Map 1 – Distribution of Rafter Beekeeping across SE Asia

Areas in SE Asia with Rafter BK potential

Areas with existing Rafter Beekeeping

Lack of Natural nesting sites

Apis dorsata dorsata is a single-comb, open-nesting species of honeybee

frequently found in aggregate nesting sites; other sub species include A. d.
binghami (found in Sulawesi and some neighboring islands) and A. d. breviligula
found in the Philippines. A close relative of dorsata is the Himalayan rock bee
(Apis laboriosa); found living above 1200 meters only on cliff faces.
The use of dorsata (sensu lato) bees in raftering is common but not prevalent
in all environments. A. d. binghami is utilized in central Sulawesi (Hadisoesilo

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2001); use of A. d. breviligula has not been reported. The fact that the latter two
sub-species are not aggregate nesters may facilitate attraction to single man-made
rafters.
This lack of “natural” nesting sites is a commonality in rafter friendly
environments; it may be the small branches such as are found in the flooded forests
(Kapuas Lakes region West Kalimantan), the unsuitable shaggy bark texture of
predominant trees (e.g. Melaleuca leucadendron), the vertical nature of the
branches (e.g. Acacia mangium), or simply the small secondary growth in a
degraded forest (Siem Reap, Cambodia, several locations in Indonesia).

Above – Small diameter branches on trees, a lack of tall emergent trees, and dense growth with bee
friendly forage provides an ideal environment conducive to rafter beekeeping. Upper left secondary forest
regrowth near Siem Reap, Cambodia; all others Kapuas Lake, Danau Sentarum, west Kalimantan,
Indonesia.

Abundance of bee forage in the area

It is important to establish the honey potential of an area by observations of

the phenology (bloom time) of the bee friendly plants. Local people typically have
a reasonable understanding of which flowers are most attractive to bees and their
respective blooming season; they are also aware of the seasonal migrations in

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response to blooms that are typical of dorsata (s.l.). Although dorsata will fly
several kilometers on foraging trips they are much more efficient at close range.
An example may be seen in the coastal-strip environment of Terengganu on
the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia; the area may be generally characterized as a
band of mangroves on the seaward side, a band of Melaleuca further inland, a short
agricultural plain, and a series of forested hills where an emergent tree, tualang
(Koompassia excelsa), is found. The tualang are the preferred nesting sites for
dorsata; tall, almost inaccessible to predators, smooth-barked and having
horizontal branches.

Left – Aggregate nesting is common with Apis dorsata dorsata here

pictured on a tualang (Koompassia excelsa tree near Terengganu,
on the east coast of west Malaysia. Not only does the height deter
easy harvesting but also the number of nests – if one nest is disturbed
the other may attack en masse.

Left – Substantial areas of bee friendly forage (here pictured

Barringtonia aculeatum) must be present even if on a seasonal
basis. If there is a single predominate species a monofloral honey
may be obtained; several attractive species bloom at the same time
insures a more reliable honey crop.

Left – Acacia mangium is frequently grown in plantations for use as

wood pulp (paper). It has some blooms almost all year but does
have a peak period; it is a poor pollen producer so there must be a
good pollen source (e.g. Mimosa pudica) to provide a protein
source for good brood rearing. Eucalyptus (depending on species
may be a good bee plant) is also grown in plantations.

Tenure or system of ownership

Typically wild bees are seen as a common, “free”

resource to be exploited by whoever discovers them. For rafter
beekeeping to be successful and sustainable, there must be a
sense of “ownership” (note the small sign in the photo to the
left designating who owns that particular rafter) which is
locally enforced by surrounding communities. From a project

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 development standpoint this is most frequently the biggest obstacle to surmount.
The best success story comes from the APDS (Asosiasi Periau Danum Sentarum) a
community-based organization which deals with the collection, processing,
certification and distribution of “Dorsata Honey” a certified organic product. To
enjoy the benefits of this organization (Periau) each participant must –
 Own and operate at least 25 “tikung” (local name for rafters).
 They must fall within his local village administration unit (see map2).
 Their location must be mapped and recorded.
 Harvest data and other records must be kept.
 Agreed-upon organic practices must be used at all times.
 Infringement of rules is grounds for dismissal from the periau; this may be
outside of the realm of beekeeping, e.g. cutting timber without permit or
fishing in restricted areas.
 Adhere to the rules and regulations enforced by traditional and
community/peer pressure (“adat”).
In areas of Cambodia Community Forest Associations (CFAs) provide the
frame work for ownership. The problem is that unless the CFA is a widely
recognized entity by all of the communities in the area; “outsiders”, with no
respect for the ownership, will frequently harvest the honey often in an
unsustainable manner (i.e. taking the brood or killing the bees to obtain the honey).
This theft is a major obstacle to attempts at establishing a rafter beekeeping
enterprise as, even though it is obvious that the rafters are man-made for the
purpose, the bees themselves are seen as a “wild resource” to be harvested on a
first-come basis. It does take some
special skills to harvest honey
without massive stinging attacks
but determined thieves can
circumvent this problem (e.g. using
insecticides).
The APDS mentioned above
in West Kalimantan has the
advantages that all communities in
the area respect the periau
traditions (“adat”) and access for
harvesting is only by boat reducing
Map 2 – showing the location of rafters and the harvest the number of people “dropping
district boundaries. Courtesy of APDS, West Kalimantan by” to harvest. The map left shows
how the rafters are mapped and
harvest boundaries are established through consensus.
.

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Erection of rafters utilizing suitable materials

Placement of rafters, types of wood used, angle of repose, orientation and

protection have been documented by several authors (see Table 1 for references).
They can be grossly divided into rainy season and dry season depending on the
season the bees migrate to the local area. In both cases support of the rafter must be
secure and hold the rafter at an angle (normally about 30° from the horizontal).
This allows the bees to store honey at the upper end of the rafter facilitating a
sustainable harvest by taking only the “honey head” and leaving the brood intact.
The bees, depending on the floral resources, will frequently rebuild the honey
section allowing for further harvest(s).

Left –one end of the rafter is

partially dug into the ground,
the other balanced
(precariously)on a vertical
post forming the requisite
angle of ≈30° (near Kampong
Som, Cambodia).
Right – A more substantial
rafter placement supported
by two forked poles taken
from the surroundings and
dug into the ground. In both
cases note the very small
structure of the surrounding
vegetation; there is ample bee
forage (Melaleuca) but no
natural nesting sites.

Right- Using hand tools a rafter is hewn from tembusu wood

(Fagraea fragans) a long-lasting (40+ years) local wood. The
upper surface (above left) is concave, as in a rain gutter,
allowing water to readily run off; the lower surface (above
right) is rounded and smoothed to mimic a large branch. The
notched ends with pegs facilitate securing the rafter in place. Photos from Kapuas Lakes region, West
Kalimantan, Indonesia.

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 An angle of about 30° with the horizontal seems to an effective slope; even
in situations where one end of the rafter is buried in the ground on a steep slope
(30-40°) the angle with the horizontal still remains at 30° (“tingku” see Hadisoesilo
2001).
In India Mahendra (1997) describes how, using his attraction planks an a
series of slings, he first secures the wax-coated planks to former nesting sites (from
previous migrations) and then, after they are occupied and comb building initiated,
one end of the plank is lowered slightly and secured at the 30° slope position. The
bees then store the honey on the upper portions and it is subsequently harvested by
lowering the whole nest to the ground using a series of pulleys. This may be an
appropriate technology in situations where there are large numbers of aggregate
nesting dorsata but I would imagine it would have to be closely monitored to
prevent theft.
A flyway or tunnel through the thick vegetation maintained in front of the
rafter’s upper end allows the bees an easy access to the rafter colony. In Vietnam
the beekeepers say that a clearing or opening directly in front of the rafter is
beneficial. Several rafters can be place near one another so long as they face the
clearing (compass orientation appears to have little effect).
In areas where vegetation may be patchy beekeepers often provide “shade”
by cutting or bending small local branches over the rafter in a tent-like fashion.
This is more prevalent in secondary growth areas and on hillsides (Hadisoesilo
2001, Purwanto et. al. 2001, Nurtjahya 2012).
Material for the construction of rafters should be locally available and not
pose a threat to the environment by its utilization. Woods that last a long time in
the particular environment, are not repellent to bees (local knowledge) and are
structurally sound are preferred. Frequently suitable material is available just
meters away from the desired rafter site location (Siem Reap and Kampong Som
areas in Cambodia, U Minh forest Vietnam). In other situations (especially in the
manufacture of rainy season rafters) material must be selected, shaped, and then
transported to the rafter site (Danau Sentarum, West Kalimantan). In Vietnam
rafters are frequently made by selecting the appropriate sized tree (Melaleuca spp.)
(≈20-25 cms diameter), splitting it lengthwise and then peeling the shaggy bark
from the outer portions. This results in two rafters (2-2.5 meters long) that are
suspended from two forked poles at a 30 degree angle.

Harvesting Honey from Rafters

One of the major goals of implementing rafter beekeeping (besides the

obvious near-the-ground ease of access) is the ability to harvest a major portion of
the stored and ripe (i.e. capped over) honey with minimal disturbance to the bees.
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The upward sloping angle of the rafter makes this possible. Honey bees of all
species (Apis) store pollen and honey above the brood nest. With cavity nesting
bees, man has devised ways of removing this honey using honey supers (i.e.
superimposed above the brood nest). With single-comb, open-nesting species such
as dorsata this is not always as easy as the honey, stored long the upper edge of the
comb, also serves as an attachment for the whole comb.

Above left- Honey (pink) is stored above the pollen (yellow band) and brood (blue) making it difficult to
harvest honey while leaving the suspensional integrity of the comb intact. Right the “honey head”
outlined by the red arc may be taken with little loss of suspensional strength. The honey is concentrated in
the uppermost portion of the comb.

To drive the bees from the comb during harvest only cool-white smoke
(preferably from a natural source- no oily rags or plastic) or a natural bee repellant
e.g. Amomum aculeatum should be used. In no instance should the bees be chased
off using open flame or insecticides. Smoke, properly used, is a very effective
deterrent to the bees and should protect the beekeepers from massive stinging
incidents- provided they stay in the smoke!
Certain plants e.g. Amomum aculeatum have a repellant effect on dorsata
bees and are used to deter stings by the aboriginal peoples of the Andaman Islands
while harvesting (Petersen 2011, Dutta et. al. 1983, 1985). These plants (and
others) warrant further investigation and distribution of traditional knowledge.

Processing and Marketing Rafter Honey

Quality control in the value chain/marketing aspects of rafter beekeeping is

important and begins in the filed during harvesting. Rubber gloves and clean
harvesting implements (knives & buckets) should be used when harvesting honey;
care should be exercised so that only the “ripe” (capped over) portion of the honey
head is taken, no pollen, unripe honey (i.e. high moisture) or brood should
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contaminate the food product. After harvesting steps should be taken to insure that
no contamination or atmospheric moisture will spoil the product. High moisture
(>22%) is a common problem with all tropical honeys and it is not uncommon to
have fermentation problems.
With assurances of quality control and traceability rafter honey can demand
a higher price in niche markets due to its organic and unadulterated nature. Instead
of competing with “off-the-grocery-store-shelf” prices; producers should strive to
market a signature brand with label and quality characteristics reflecting its
uniqueness.

Conclusions

Rafter beekeeping can provide a means of sustainably harvesting an eco-

friendly product provided the criteria listed above are met. There are many areas
which may hold potential for this activity in South and Southeast Asia.

Acknowledgments

Many thanks to the rafter beekeepers I have interacted with over the last 13-
14 years, the NGOs who have, in some fashion or another, supported my efforts.
Many thanks to Dr. M.S. Reddy and the organizing committees of the International
Honey Festival (APIEXPO) and Beekeeping Workshop, held November 20-22,
2012 in Mecara, Karnataka, India for the opportunity to present this paper.

References

Dutta, T., Ahmed, R., Abbas, R., Rao, M.K.V., (1983); Discovery of a Plant that
Tranquilizes Apis dorsata, Bee World 64: 158-163.

Dutta, T., Ahmed, R., Abbas, R., Rao, M.K.V., (1985); Plants Used by
Andaman Aborigines in Harvesting Rock-Bee Honey, Economic Botany, Vol.
39, No. 2 (April-June 1985), pp. 130-138, New York Botanical Garden Press.

Hadisoesilo, S., (2001), Tingku, a traditional management technique for Apis

dorsata binghami in Central Sulawesi, in IBRA (eds.) proceedings of the 7th
International conference on tropical bees management and diversity and the 5th
Asian Apiculture Association conference, 19-25 March, 2000, Chiang Mai
Thailand, International Bee Research Association, Cardiff, U.K.; 309-312.

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Mahendra, D.B. (1997); Improved methods of honey harvest from rock bee
colonies, Indian Bee Jour. 1997; 59(2):95-98.

Nguyễn Quang Tấn, Phùng Hữu Chinh, Pham Hồng Thái, Vincent Mulder, 1997,
Rafter beekeeping with Apis dorsata: some factors affecting the occupation of
rafters by bees. Journal of Apicultural Research 36 (1): 49-54, 1997.

Nurtjahya, K., 2012, The Architecture of Sunggau in Banka Island, Indonesia – An

Artificial wild Honeybee Nest, paper presented at 11th Asian Apicultural
Association conference, Terengganu, West Malaysia 28th Sept- 2nd Oct. 2012.

Petersen, S. (2005); Adventures in Beekeeping – Rafter Beekeeping in Cambodia,

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Petersen, S. (2010); Production of Natural Bee Repellants from Indigenous SE

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Purwanto, D. B.; Hadisoesilo, S., Kasno; Koeniger, N.; Lunderstedt, J. (2001),

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