Journal of Threatened Taxa |
www.threatenedtaxa.org | 26 April 2023 | 15(4): 23131–23135
ISSN 0974-7907
(Online) | ISSN 0974-7893 (Print)
https://doi.org/10.11609/jott.6207.15.4.23131-23135
#6207 | Received 22 May 2020 |
Final received 15 February 2023 | Finally accepted 16 March 2023
The perception of bee and wasp
fauna (Hymenoptera: Aculeata) by the inhabitants of Mangdi Valley, central Bhutan
Kinley Tenzin
Natural Resources Development
Corporation Limited, Thimphu, Bhutan.
kintshen606@gmail.com, kinley.tenzin@nrdcl.bt
Editor: Anonymity requested. Date of publication: 26 April 2023 (online & print)
Citation: Tenzin, K. (2023). The
perception of bee and wasp fauna (Hymenoptera: Aculeata)
by the inhabitants of Mangdi Valley, central Bhutan. Journal of Threatened Taxa 15(4): 23131–23135. https://doi.org/10.11609/jott.6207.15.4.23131-23135
Copyright: © Tenzin 2023. Creative
Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
JoTT allows unrestricted use, reproduction,
and distribution of this article in any medium by providing adequate credit to
the author(s) and the source of publication.
Funding: Research Grant by the Rufford Small Grants Programme, UK. (Grant No. /ID: 20983-2).
Competing interests: The author declares no competing interests.
Acknowledgements: I thank the Rufford
Small Grant for Nature Conservation, United Kingdom, for financially supporting
the project. I also extend my deepest appreciations to Dr.
Om Katel (PhD), lecturer, College of Natural
Resources, Royal University of Bhutan, Bhutan; Dr. Himender Bharti (PhD), assistant professor, Department of
Zoology and Environmental Sciences, Punjabi University Patiala, India; Dr. Nawang Norbu
(PhD), ex-director, Ugyen Wangchuck
Institute for Conservation and Environment, Lamai Goempa, Bumthang in supporting
the study. The author is also thankful to Dr. B.A.
Daniel (PhD), scientist, Zoo Outreach Organisation, India; Dr.
Phuntsho Thinley (PhD),
head, Wildlife Conservation Research Program, RNR Research and Development Center at Yusipang, DoFPS, Bhutan for supporting in securing fund for the
study.
Abstract: This paper explores the
perception, knowledge, and attitude of the inhabitants of Mangdi
Valley in Trongsa District concerning bees and wasps (Hymenoptera). Prevailing
conservation threats to these ecologically important insects were determined.
Data were collected from June to September 2018 by means of open-ended
interviews from 32 randomly selected individuals. Responses to questions
regarding their perceptions were analyzed and comparisons were made among a
variety of demographic groups distinguished by age group, gender, and education
status. The results showed that the people were aware of 5–10 species of common
bees and wasps, mostly found in the agriculture and forested areas. The main
threats faced by these insects are developmental activities followed by hunting
and consumption.
Keywords: Attitude, biodiversity,
conservation threats, knowledge, Trongsa District.
Bhutan is one of the global biodiversity hotspots,
straddling the Indomalayan (Oriental) region to the
south and Palearctic realm to the north (Ohsawa
1987). The country is expected to have rich insect biodiversity, however,
limited studies provide an incomplete picture for this country. Bees and wasps
(order Hymenoptera: class Insecta) are good
indicators of biodiversity (Westphal et al. 2008; Rubene
et al. 2015) and play important ecological roles as pollinators, nutrient
cyclers, scavengers, predators and parasitoids of
insects and other arthropods, contributing to balancing and sustaining natural
and agricultural ecosystems (Engel 2001; Jousselin et
al. 2002; Loyola & Martins 2006; Moisset &
Buchmann 2011; Spengler et al. 2011).
While many have vernacular names in particular regions,
common names are given to few Hymenoptera species worldwide, and many small
(usually less than 5 mm long) parasitic species go unnoticed even by
entomologists (Foottit & Adler 2009). Human
familiarity with insects typically arises through encounters, early childhood
experiences, local knowledge, and education (Lemelin
et al. 2016). Most bees and wasps are capable of stinging in self-defense, and incidental stings can lead to negative
attitudes towards them (Foottit & Adler 2009).
The ecological importance of bees and wasps is not valued
by the people in the study area and the conservation status is unknown. There
is no information available in the literature about the perception of bees and
wasps by humans in the region. Some larger social bees and wasps are familiar
and are consumed as a source of protein and medicine, but most of them are
unknown to the general public of the region. An understanding of local people’s
knowledge and ideas is a prerequisite for constructive collaboration between
farmers and scientists towards conservation (Gurung 2003). Therefore, the
objectives of this study were to: 1) Understand the perception and knowledge of
communities from Mangdi valley about the bee and wasp
fauna; 2) Identify potential conservation threats to bee and wasp fauna in
central Bhutan.
Trongsa District
is located at 27.4465°N, 90.504°E in the heart of the country. It covers
an area of about 1,807 km² with 87.15% of the total area under forest
cover, and the elevation ranges 800–4,800 m (National Statistics Bureau 2012).
The district experiences annual average temperatures ranges 8.9–19 0C, and
average annual rainfall of 870 mm (National Statistics Bureau 2013). The
district comprises of five blocks, and the study was conducted in Nubi and Tangsibji Block (Figure
1). These blocks feature broadleaved to blue pine and mixed conifer forest
types. The district has a mixed climate of humid and warm temperate with sandy
and clayey loam-based soil. The terrain is rough, with steep slopes in the
south and deep canyons to the north. Alpine scrub, blue pine, chir pine, fir, mixed conifer, shrubs, meadows, broadleaved
woods make up the majority of the vegetation type. The most dominant forest
types in the district are broadleaved forests with more than 50%, followed by
mixed conifer with over 26%. Various crops and vegetables are grown. The wide
elevation range and the mountainous and complex terrain create complex climatic
conditions, from wet sub-tropical in the south to cold temperate in the
northern high elevation areas. The Tangsibji
hydropower project and Mangdichu hydropower projects
were underway.
Data were obtained from June to September 2018 by means
of both close and open-ended structured questionnaires. People of both genders
prioritizing the elderly villagers were interviewed. The respondents were
selected based on stratified random selection, where the population was divided
into strata or subgroups based on village wise with same ethnic group, and then
individual samples and respondents are randomly selected from each stratum. The
secondary data was gathered through various sources. Reports, journals, and
various other research works, online sources and print media related to the
context of this study. GPS handset was used to locate the site and record
coordinates.
Descriptive statistics like frequency counts, percentages
and tables were used in analyzing the data. Excel
spreadsheet of office 2007 and pivot table was used for the data entry and
segregation.
The respondents represented a mixture of gender, age
groups and education status. The social interview covered a total of 32
individuals from different areas and six education strata. One-hundred percent
(n = 32) of the respondents were aware of bees and wasps, and 56% (n = 18) knew
of 5–10 species of bees and wasps. This study found that 94% (n = 30) of
respondents consumed bee and wasp products primarily for medicinal value (n =
13). The people usually collect bees and wasps during autumn and winter,
collecting was once in a season. Through respondent interviews it was found
that the authority restricting the collection of bee and wasp products was
Department of forest and park services (Table 1).
According to respondents, bees and wasps usually begin to
appear during April–June (n = 19), with wasps beginning to disappear during
October–December while bees are seen throughout the year. A majority of
respondents said aculeates are found in forested
areas and agriculture land. The different types of bees and wasps found in
different land use types in the study area are shown in Figure 2. Of the 32
respondents, 68% stated that bees and wasps were not harmful to human and
agricultural crops. However, 32% of the interviewees stated that the bees and
wasps are noxious.
Threats to bees
and wasps in central Bhutan
The numbers of bees and wasps remain constant according
to 14 respondents, while nine stated, numbers are decreasing compared to
earlier days. Bees and wasps are important pollinators that play a crucial role
in maintaining the biodiversity of ecosystems. However, their populations have
been declining in recent years due to various factors, including habitat loss
and fragmentation, pesticide use, climate change, and disease. As stated by
Moron et al. (2008), one of the major contributors to the decline of bees and
wasps are the loss of their natural habitats as a result of developmental
activities such as deforestation, urbanization, and agriculture expansion.
These activities often involved the destruction and fragmentation of natural
habitats, including the removal of flowering plants that bees and wasps rely on
for nectar and pollen.
The current study found that the loss of natural habitats
contributed to a reduction in the availability of nesting sites for bees and
wasps, which further impacted their populations. Bees and wasps require
different types of nesting sites depending on their species, but many rely on
natural cavities in trees, shrubs, or the ground. Furthermore, the use of
pesticides in agriculture and other activities adversely affected bees and
wasps, leading to reduced populations and decreased biodiversity. According to
respondents, the main threats faced by aculeates were
developmental activities like construction of hydropower dams, road, and
buildings, followed by hunting and consumption (Table 2) for example, when
people burn down wasps to extract the larvae and pupae for consumption, in the
study area. Bhutan is now in full swing of developmental activities such as
hydropower, buildings, and roads, which results in habitat loss and
fragmentation. Maximum numbers of respondents from both elevations suggested the
Department of Forest and Park Services should frame effective rules and
regulations to minimize threats to bees and wasps. Seven respondents did not
have any suggestions for conserving aculeate fauna (a group of insects that
have stingers or sharp pointed structures that can be used for defense or hunting).
This study provides baseline information on local
peoples’ perceptions of bees and wasps, their habitat types and conservation
threats in central Bhutan. Feelings, knowledge, and behavior
towards these insects are rationally coherent. Forty-three percent of the
respondents said that numbers of bees and wasps remain constant, while 28% said
they were decreasing. Major threats faced by bees and wasps include development
activities, hunting, and consumption. Control measures for hunting and
consumption of these valuable insects need to be taken. It is further suggested
that this work may be extended to other parts of the country to assess
perceptions of various groups of people concerning these valuable insect fauna
and enhance conservation awareness.
Table 1. Regulatory authorities
on hunting and consumption of bees and wasps.
|
|
Regulatory/ Objecting
Authority |
Number of
respondents |
|
1 |
Department of Forest and Park
Services |
24 |
|
2 |
Block Administration |
0 |
|
3 |
No objection |
2 |
|
4 |
No idea |
6 |
|
5 |
Total |
32 |
Table 2. Conservation threats
faced by bees and wasps as per respondent perceptions.
|
|
Conservation Threats |
Number of respondents |
|
1 |
Disease |
5 |
|
2 |
Chemical fertilizer |
4 |
|
3 |
Natural |
1 |
|
4 |
Hunting and consumption |
6 |
|
5 |
Developmental Activities |
16 |
|
|
Total |
32 |
For
figures - - click here for complete PDF
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Appendix 1. Questionnaire for social survey.
Date………….
Respondent’s
Name………………………………………………………………....
Gender: Male/ Female. Age……………………………..
Education level: 1. College
2. Secondary 3. Primary 4.
Non Formal Education 5.
Illiterate
Village……………………………… ……………………………..
Gewog/block……………………………………………………..Dzongkhag/District……………
Interviewer’s Name………………………………………
Part I: People’s knowledge and
perception on Bees and Wasps
Do you know what a bee and wasp is?
1. Yes 2. No
How many
types of bees do you know?
...........................................................................................................................
How many
types of wasps do you know?
.............................................................................................................................
Do you
consume bee product?
Yes
2. No
If yes, 1. Annually 2.
Monthly 3. Whenever available 4. No idea
Do you
consume wasp product?
1. Yes 2. No
If yes, 1. Annualy 2. Monthly 3. Whenever available 4. No idea
Why do you
consume?
1. Medicinal value 2. As supplementary diet 3.
Pleasure
How do you
consume them?
1. Raw 2. Boil 3.Fry
4. Dry
Do you
collect them?
Yes 2.
No
Does any
organization or authority object you from collecting them?
Yes 2.
No
Part II: Ecology and habitat
preference of Bees and wasps as per people’s knowledge
When do they appear, Month?
........................................................................................................................
Which month do they disappear, month?
……………………………………………………………………………………………
Where do they go?
………………………………………………………………………………………………
In what type of habitat/land use are they found
frequently, Rank them?
1
Agriculture 2. Forest 3. Grass land 4. Orchard 5. Settlement 6.
Kitchen garden
Are they harmful to any crops?
1. Yes 2. No
If yes,
how?........................................................................................................................
Are they harmful to human and livestock?
1. Yes 2. No
If yes,
how?......................................................................................................................
Do you know ecological importance of bees and wasps?
1. Yes 2. No
If yes, what
are the
importance...............................................................................................................
Which weather does the bees and wasps appear mostly?
Rainy day 2.
Cloudy day 3. Sunny day 4. anytime
Did the number of bees and wasps increased or
decreased from past ten years?
Increased
2. Decreased 3. Constant/Same
4. No idea
Why?..........................................................................................................
What are the threats faced by the bees and wasps?
1.
Disease 2. Agriculture
practice/Chemical fertilizers 3.
Natural predators 4. Hunting and consumption 5. Developmental activities 6. No idea
What could you suggest to minimize the threats to bees
and wasps?
...............................................................................................................................
NOTE: Please share any
interesting social dynamics about bees and wasps which is not covered in the
above questionnaire.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………