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Bambara attacks on the rise: Removing nests not the answer
A number of bambara bees (the Giant Honeybee of Asia) attacks have been reported recently from various parts of the country — and an expert has warned that short sighted clearing up operations could be harmful ecologically.
The latest incident was reported from Mundalama, in Puttalam on Wednesday, Vesak Poya Day, while some 70 people including children were observing sil.
Some children had thrown stones at a nest which provoked the attack. Scores, including those who came to rescue the devotees, were injured.
On Tuesday, three people including a teacher were admitted to Kantale Base hospital following an attack.
Meanwhile in Hatton and Kandy steps were also taken to remove bambara nests ahead of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the Hill Country on Friday fearing that the sudden airstream from the VIP helicopter rotors would agitate the bees.
The Sri Lanka Bee Protection Organisation that was involved in removing the nests under the supervision of the Nallathanniya Wildlife Office said the operation was a success.
The organisation’s secretary, Tissa Bandara Thambawita, said they had removed two nests from the President’s House in Kandy, two from two locations in Norwood — one where Indian Premier Narendra Modi was due to make an address and the other where the helicopters were landing –Â and one from the vicinity of the Indian-Government-funded Dickoya Hospital, which was opened by Premier Modi on Friday.
Earlier in the week nests had also been cleared from ‘General’s House’, the Parliamentarians’ holiday home in Nuwara Eliya, he said.
Insisting that the insects were important to maintain the biodiversity and the natural equilibrium, Mr. Thambawita noted that the human-bee conflict was on the increase due to the depletion of forest cover. He claims his organisation removed the bee nests in an eco-friendly manner.
However, Dr. Wasantha Punchihewa, an expert in the field and a consultant to government agencies regarding polination and honey bees, said, many who were engaged in clearing up bee nests end up destroying the insects.  He said the bambara or Giant Honeybee of Asia, was the most versatile pollinator in Sri Lanka.
He stressed that bees never attacked humans unless they were disturbed or provoked.
“They are innocent and are the most important pollinators in the country. They migrate from the cloud forests in our high mountain peaks (Pindurutalagala, Nuwara Eliya, Horton Plains etc) to sea coasts and the lowland plains annually on a regular migrating cycle following a regular path bringing about effective pollination of thousands of species of plants that importantly protect our land mass and provide food for thousands of species of animals including humans.â€
Dr. Punchihewa said that he is doubtful whether the airstream from the helicopters would affect Bambara nests as the helicopters fly a safe distance away from trees and buildings. He also said it would take at least one month to safely relocate bees from their original nesting sites.
“But what people do is destroy these nests. Relocation and destructive removal methods are two different things,” he charged.
He also added that there is no relation between bee attacks and noise.
“There are many bambara nesting sites in various parts in the island including at the Dalada Maligawa where hundreds of devotees daily visit but no attack has been reported,” he said.