Swarm of hornet are killing honeybees in Jigme Chhoeling under Sarpang, much to the chagrin of the beekeepers. Beekeeping, otherwise a lucrative business, is experiencing a setback with a single hornet killing as many as 40 honeybees in a minute.
The Group Chairman of Samkhara Tsepjam Gongphel Tshogpa, Manilal Rai, said it has already been several years since the hornet started attacking honeybees in their area.
He said the attack on the beehives last five to ten minutes.
The beekeeping officials in Bumthang told BBS that the attack is rampant during migration period, especially in autumn and spring. Those are the times when hornet migrate from higher to lower altitude .
The only way to ease the attack for a little while, according to the officials, is to blow smoke at the swarm of hornet.
The beekeeping group in Jigme Chhoeling began in 2006 with 20 community members. The number of members has increased to 140 today.
