What is modern beekeeping known as?

Modern beekeeping is known as apiculture. This term specifically refers to the practice of maintaining bee colonies, typically in man-made hives, for the purpose of harvesting honey and other bee products such as beeswax, propolis, and royal jelly. Apiculture is a significant agricultural practice that not only provides valuable resources but also plays a crucial role in pollination, which is important for the growth of many crops.

The other terms listed refer to different practices. Meliponiculture is the management of stingless bees, primarily for honey production in tropical regions. Sericulture involves the cultivation of silkworms to produce silk, while orchard pollination refers to the use of bees to pollinate fruit trees, which is a specific application of beekeeping and not synonymous with beekeeping itself. Thus, apiculture is the correct term that encompasses the broader practice of modern beekeeping.