Himalayan giant honey bee, Apis laboriosa
Apis laboriosa is the world’s largest honey bee. And single adults can measure up to 3.0 cm (1.2 in) in length. In 1980 it was elevated to the rank of a separate species. Honey made by Apis laboriosa is known as mad honey. The international value of this honey is very much. About 100 grams of mad honey cost about 9,000 Nepalis rupees in international market.
why this bee is so special & its honey is so costly?
It is special because it is found in specific country only like Nepal, mountainous regions of Bhutan, the Chinese province of Yunnan, India, Myanmar, Laos, and Vietnam.
Secondly it is special because It’s mostly nests at altitudes between 2,500 and 3,000 m (8,200 and 9,800 ft).
Thirdly The bees use flowers to make honey at altitudes of up to 4,100 m (13,500 ft). Due to its peculiar nesting behaviour, the Himalayan giant honey bee is also referred to as the Himalayan cliff honey bee.
Fourthly it’s purported medicinal value and intoxicating qualities which are attributed to the grayanotoxin present in the nectar collected by bees. The Gurung people in Nepal are renowned for their use of this mad honey, both for its medicinal and hallucinogenic properties.
This is also called as love drug as it helps to reduce sexual problems and also known for performance boosting in bed. The “mad honey” have very wide amount of vitamins such as vitamins B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, and C as well as calcium and amino acids. which save us from various diseases.
The most unique thing found in mad honey is “grayanotoxin” which gives a relaxing state for people using it. As it’s a neurotoxic compound. it should be consumed in the right amount about one to 2 tea spoon’s.
The term “Himalayan honey bee” is more wide as there are four types of honey bees that are found in the Himalayan region; Apis cerana, Apis florea, Apis dorsata and Apis laboriosa.
watch video –
from @ninews ( ni news)
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=43S2Uog2qW0[/embedyt]
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