Honey Bee
Apis mellifera
The domesticated Western honey bee, kept in log, Kenya Top-Bar (KTB), or Langstroth hives for honey, beeswax, and pollination services.
Species
Apis
Family
Apidae
Climate requirements
Wide climatic tolerance across Kenya, from lowland Acacia woodland to highland forest-edge areas; forage availability (flowering season/diversity) matters more than temperature for colony productivity.
Husbandry guide
Site hives away from human/livestock traffic, in partial shade with a nearby water source and diverse forage within 2-3km flight range. Inspect periodically for queen health, pest/disease signs (varroa mite, wax moth), and honey readiness; harvest by smoking the hive calmly and taking only capped honeycomb, leaving enough stores for colony survival, typically 1-3 times per year depending on forage flow.
Economic importance
A low-capital, low-land-requirement enterprise that also boosts crop pollination and yields on the surrounding farm; honey and beeswax provide a valuable, storable, non-perishable cash product for smallholders, particularly in ASAL regions with few other livestock options.