Around 35 people joined us for an exciting event with SVARNIM Puducherry, where we flew into the fascinating world of our bioregion with the Aurovanam, Nature Lab!

Why are bees a big deal? They’re essential for helping plants grow by spreading pollen! During this walk, we focused on four types of honey bees found right here in Pondicherry: Apis cerana, Apis dorsata, Apis florea, and Tetragonula iridipennis. These little creatures can fly over 2.5 kilometers just to find flowers!

Our guide, Lazar Jean, is a PhD student who’s all about studying how honey bees find food in Puducherry. With a strong background in biotechnology and plant biology, Lazar has immersed himself in bee research for over seven years. He’s made field trips across India, Cambodia, and Sri Lanka and has shared his knowledge through hands-on workshops. Now through this walk he helped us understand how to protect these vital pollinators and their habitats!

We started our adventure at Mervielle, an afforested area belonging to the Aurobindo Ashram near a natural pond splashed with bright Yelllow-Alder wildflowers, buzzing with activity as bees collected nectar. As we strolled along a scenic path through a lush tropical dry evergreen forest, we paused to admire tiny ground flowers where some small, stingless bees were hard at work. They were so tiny that you had to really focus to see them!

Next, Lazar introduced us to an innovative bee home made from an upturned earthen pot. When there aren’t enough holes in trees, those crafty bees can move into these pots hung upside down. We had a front-row seat as bees zipped in and out! Lazar also crafted special bee boxes for the Apis cerana and Tetragonula iridipennis bees. He opened one of the boxes and let us try the honey—it was amazing! The first taste was a bit tangy, followed by a wave of sweetness. It was our first time tasting honey straight from the hive, and it was amazing!

Then Lazar showed us the box for Apis cerana but warned us not to get too close because those bees can sting. Everyone listened intently, captivated by the buzzing bees as we learned how to appreciate and protect these amazing insects.

We left with a list of plants and trees that are favorites among the local honeybees. Everyone is eager to plant these species and explore different ways to support the bees.