Against the grain: How Apoorva BV became a voice for the bees

Apoorva BV is on a mission to protect some of the world’s smallest, yet most important, creatures: honey bees. His journey started with a childhood curiosity, one that grew with the guidance of his mentor, Shanth Veeraiah S M. Over time, that interest turned into a mission to reconnect people with nature.
Sixteen years ago, he left his career in engineering to pursue his passion for beekeeping. Today, as the founder of Kodagu Bee Farm and the Hive Trust, he leads India’s urban beekeeping movement.
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During peak season, his phone rings constantly, sometimes up to 200 times a day. But these calls aren’t panicked requests to remove bees. People now want to learn how to live with them!
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In Bengaluru, he’s helped hundreds of people turn their rooftops into bee-friendly spaces. But Apoorva’s mission goes further. He’s raising awareness about the global decline in insect populations and what that means for our food. He’s also challenging the honey industry to clean up its practices and promoting beekeeping as a vital part of small-scale farming.
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As Apoorva looks back on his journey, it’s clear how far he’s come from that first spark.

Misconceptions and experience

Q. How did you get into beekeeping?

A. In my third year of engineering, I started beekeeping as a hobby. After that, I travelled across the country to study successful beekeeping models. I returned to Bangalore and started both a beekeeping and supplies business in 2014.

Q. Can you explain the misconceptions people have about bees and beekeeping?

A. The main misconception is fear, and that’s something we need to address. Beyond fear, there are other aspects of bees that we have overlooked for ages.

We live in a subtropical country, surrounded by bees and snakes. Right now, there are about 300 pairs of eyes watching me, but I’m not watching them. Just because we haven’t observed them doesn’t mean they aren’t there. 

There are some minor misconceptions too. For example, people say that during full moon nights, bees will come, and on Amavasya (new moon), they will leave. In reality, bees migrate to specific ecosystems whenever they need food, mating opportunities, shelter, and nesting habitats.

Q. What does a day with bees look like for you?

A. By 5.30 am, they start foraging, around the same time birds begin to chirp. They collect nectar, pollen, and water, which are essential for the colony’s sustainability. Around noon, they return because when the sun is directly overhead, it affects their navigation.

After 12 pm, they assess natural conditions—if it’s too hot, they won’t venture out. If the temperature exceeds 33-35 degrees Celsius, the foragers stay back and fan their wings to control the temperature.

They instinctively know which trees and plants blossom in the morning and evening and where they can collect more nectar. They use natural instincts to tell time and even use pheromones to navigate.

At night, they don’t sleep like us. When there’s no navigation or foraging outside, they stay busy with other tasks like wax production, organising food for easy access, and converting nectar into honey. Bees never sleep, which is why they’re called busy bees.

Q. In your experience as a beekeeper, can you emphasise how important bees are for our ecosystem?

A. Bees are considered keystone species. When bees are present in an ecosystem and are able to pollinate, everything else begins to flourish. Bees are responsible for about 86% of pollination on earth, which is why we have such a variety of fruits, vegetables, and even wild plants. This is why we say pollination is a primary service. The presence of bees signifies the sustainability, and biodiversity of an ecosystem.

For a farmer, integrating bees into their farm ecosystem is crucial because it’s the only way to ensure reliable pollination.

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Identifying good honey

Q. What are some key characteristics to look for when identifying high-quality honey?

A. Honey is one of the most contaminated foods in the world because it’s difficult to collect and harvest. Worker bees require suitable conditions to convert nectar into honey.

We have the Western Ghats, Eastern Ghats, Deccan region, Himalayan biosphere, desert flora, and a coastline. With this diversity, we have over 3,000 varieties of honey.

There are plants in the Western Ghats that bloom during the monsoon, producing honey so bitter that even a spoonful is difficult to eat. Some varieties of honey from wild flora are naturally sour, while sunflower honey is very sweet.

When I offer sunflower honey to people from the Western Ghats, they often reject it as impure, assuming I’m trying to cheat them. To them, their local honey is the only pure honey.

I’ve tasted many varieties of honey and have memories of all those flavours. I can judge honey to a certain extent. But what about the average consumer who has only tasted the honey available in stores?

Consumers need to understand how honey is made and should participate in the process. They should step out of their comfort zones and learn about the efforts farmers make to harvest honey. Adulteration is widespread, and only scientific laboratory tests can identify impurities. It can’t be tested in the kitchen.

Q. Can honey truly last forever if stored properly, or is this just a myth?

A. Honey contains high concentrations of sugars, which prevent bacterial growth. While you may observe some bacteria under a microscope, they remain dormant and cannot multiply or function. However, if honey is exposed to moisture, there is a risk of yeast cells multiplying. After use, make sure the lid is tightly closed to avoid exposure to atmospheric moisture, as it may cause fermentation.

In Egypt, edible honey was discovered that was more than 1,000-2,000 years old. This indicates that honey has no fixed shelf life and can be consumed if properly maintained and stored.

Q. Is there any difference between wild honey and the honey we get from boxes?

A. Wild or forest honey is considered a tribal right. Tribals are gatherers who climb trees and hunt for honey, a process known as honey hunting, not beekeeping. They use smoke, cut the entire comb, and extract honey predominantly from a species called Apis dorsata. They also collect honey from Apis cerana, but in very small quantities.

During harvesting, if the comb falls and touches the soil, it may be handled with bare hands. Due to these factors, it is called wild honey. To access it, we must purchase it from their society. We should not casually use terms like ‘wild’ and ‘forest’ for honey.

Some brands market their products as forest honey, but this practice is not sustainable due to climate change and competition. When you visit a store, you may find jars labelled as forest honey alongside others. Naturally, you may be inclined to choose the forest honey. Increased demand leads tribals, who once collected only minimal quantities of honey for their sustainable lifestyle, to collect more.

Moreover, there is no system to monitor how bees are treated in the forest. Tribals are the primary custodians of the forest. They were protecting it long before departments and ministries were established.

Q. Is there a noticeable difference in taste or consistency in wild honey?

A. Yes, because Apis dorsata can forage up to six to eight kilometers, while Apis cerana can forage up to 500 meters to one kilometer. This difference in foraging range results in variations in floral sources, which in turn affects the taste of the honey.

Another factor is that when honey is collected by these gatherers, it is often squeezed rather than centrifuged. Sometimes they squeeze out stored pollen, which may be slightly fermented, or laurel water gets mixed up. These factors also influence the taste.

Decline and conservation

Q. Can you provide some numbers on the decline in honeybee populations compared to previous years?

A. Forty percent of insect biomass on Earth is on the verge of extinction, including indigenous and solitary bees. However, imported bees can be bred and multiplied more easily using twin-rearing techniques and other methods.

In South India, we practise indigenous beekeeping methods. We do not force bees to breed; instead, we allow them to breed naturally, much like other animals. There is no captivity in beekeeping; bees are free to leave if they don’t like the environment or the beekeeper.

We employ specific methods only during their natural breeding season. Before they naturally divide, we separate them into another beehive and provide a nesting habitat. Beekeeping in India is a different story compared to the West.

Providing space for bees is a form of conservation.

When people say we are saving the wrong bees, they are usually referring to the US, not India. In urban areas like Bengaluru, I rescue colonies that have taken up residence in chimneys and bathrooms. There are hundreds of urban beekeepers in Bengaluru who practise beekeeping on their terraces, balconies, and in their compounds. Providing space for bees is a form of conservation.

Q. Can you highlight some common adulteration practices?

A. Traditional adulterants include jaggery, sugar, and molasse. Now, advanced adulteration technologies from other countries are introducing high-fructose syrups made through hydrolysis (a chemical process that breaks sucrose into fructose and glucose). Laboratories need the competence to test these, but many lack this capability.  

Adulterants are increasing day by day, and new technologies are emerging to detect them. It’s crucial for consumers to be vigilant. My point is that adulteration will happen. 

As consumers, understanding how products are grown and reach the market is vital. If you rely solely on the label, you’re taking a significant risk.

Q. What is the average income of a farmer keeping honeybees? Could this be a side income for smallholders?

A. In 2021, the Agricultural Ministry and the Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR) released an official statement highlighting that beekeeping is as important as soil for agriculture. This means that without pollination, farmers cannot expect yield or productivity.

In some farm ecosystems, integrating beekeeping can increase the income of small-scale farmers, not just through schemes and policies. For example, the productivity of oilseeds and even coconuts can increase by 25%. In the case of sunflowers, you can expect 50% more produce. Beekeeping can also boost areca nut harvests by one to two quintals, adding around one lakh rupees per acre. The increase in productivity isn’t just about the number of seeds but also the oil content, size, and weight.

Pollination is an ecological service—it’s not just for your benefit.

In beekeeping, the direct income comes from honey, while the indirect income comes from pollination. Pollination is an ecological service—it’s not just for your benefit.

Some farm ecosystems can yield 5 kg of honey per year, while others may only produce 2-3 kg. The yield depends on where you’re beekeeping and the number of plants and trees within a 500m to 1km radius.

The global economic value of pollination is estimated at around 400 billion dollars. In India, we lack specific data on how much crop production results from animal pollination and the number of natural and domesticated colonies.

There is a device called a pollen trap used to collect coconut pollen, which contains 28-30% more protein—a ‘gold’ for athletes. We need case studies comparing the yields of farmers who have integrated bees and those who haven’t.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this interview are those of the speaker.