PIC from ASIA - Are these honey bees?

[WhipCityBeeMan]

I traveled to Laos in 2005 and I took these 2 pictures.  I think they are honeybees but I would appreciate confirmation. 


[img=http://img187.imageshack.us/img187/5536/bees2laosbx3.th.jpg]


Also I am interested in doing sustainable agricultural development work in northern Thailand and Laos.  I am excited to explore apiculture with the purpose of providing employment and revenue to impoverished villagers.  Does anyone have resources/experience with this idea? 

[Kathyp]

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Bee-keeping-t148167.html

take a look at this site.  you might get better info from them.

Thailand seems to have a pretty good  beekeeping thing going. husband has been there a few times in the last few years.  good business in the markets, etc.

[eri]

This site has some interesting information, and lots of ideas about hive products I haven't seen elsewhere.

Beekeeping and Sustainable Livelihoods, Nicola Bradbear

Agricultural Support Systems Division
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
Rome 2004

http://www.fao.org/docrep/006/y5110e/y5110e00.htm#Contents

[rdy-b]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apis_dorsata   they are not european bees ;)  RDY-B

[Brian D. Bray]

Thailand and most of its neighbors have Apis dorasta.  An 8 frame medium hive is plenty of space for them, being pint-sized.

[rdy-b]

Thailand and most of its neighbors have Apis dorasta.  An 8 frame medium hive is plenty of space for them, being pint-sized.

DORSATA lives on one big comb and are very big bees -I think maybe you are thinking of cerana which are small bees  8-)      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apis_cerana      RDY-B

[limyw]

They are honey bees, Apis Dorsata. They are living wild, mono-comb, can't keep so far. Thailand is saturated, you should consider my country : Malaysia. I only owned 200+ hives, but this make up 20% of total country mellifera hives. Feel free to contact me for more details.

[Brian D. Bray]

Thailand and most of its neighbors have Apis dorasta.  An 8 frame medium hive is plenty of space for them, being pint-sized.

DORSATA lives on one big comb and are very big bees -I think maybe you are thinking of cerana which are small bees  8-)      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apis_cerana      RDY-B

You are correct, it was my error.  Note to self, clean glasses and sweep cobwebs from mind before going on forum.

[Scadsobees]

From what I've read in the ABJ, and as the others said, those are dorsata, or the giant honeybee.  Not managable in a hive, and more aggressive.  Really neat how they layer the comb with their bodies, it creates unique patterns due to their coloring.