The Trigona Bee – Philippines 2019
Promotion of propolis and honey in the Philippines
Our beekeepers Anicet and Michaël have returned from a volunteer mission in the Philippines. Their project aimed to provide technical and methodological support on the harvesting and processing of propolis. Not just any propolis, but that from a little-known species: the Trigone bee, characterized by its small size and lack of stinger. The Philippines is a territory with several wild and tropical areas where different ecotypes of bees live. In this photo, our warriors were getting ready to climb trees to harvest the wild honey from the Apis Dorsata, the giant bee.
For over two weeks, they trained staff from Tiaong University/Southern Luzon State University as well as selected beekeepers from the country.
They worked on harvesting methods in the hives, the production of propolis tinctures, and the potential for transforming them into value-added products.
“Today, I met one of the most inspiring beekeepers of my life.”
– Anicet
Today, I met one of the most inspiring beekeepers of my life: Ambo. He maintains hundreds of stingless trigona bee colonies on Alamat Island, south of Manila, Philippines. Celebrated for his scientific knowledge, Ambo is a self-taught beekeeper. Over the years, he has become a specialist in these incredible little bees that produce one of the best honeys on earth—a honey with a bitter taste and renowned for its medicinal properties. He is also an organic farmer, harvesting coconuts, cacao, and ginger. Every day, with determination, he constantly pushes the boundaries to create a better future for all of us!
