This is a very special episode with Vinícius at Meliponário São Paulo.
It’s a super cool place that feels like a zoo, and we learned so much about the incredible stingless bees.
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Stingless native bees are a group of social bees belonging to the Meliponinae subfamily, known for not having functional stingers for defense. Commonly found in tropical and subtropical regions, these bees play a crucial role in pollination and biodiversity conservation, especially in Brazil, where about 300 species have been cataloged.
These bees have unique characteristics. They are generally smaller than European bees (Apis mellifera) and exhibit a wide diversity of colors and sizes depending on the species. Although they have stingers, these are atrophied, making them incapable of stinging. They live in organized colonies made up of queens, workers, and drones, and typically build their nests in tree hollows, underground, or artificial structures.
Some of the most well-known species in Brazil include jataí (Tetragonisca angustula), widely distributed and a producer of mild honey; uruçu (Melipona scutellaris), predominant in the Northeast and a major honey producer; mandaguari (Scaptotrigona spp.), highly efficient as a pollinator; iraí (Nannotrigona testaceicornis), valued in meliponiculture; and guaraipo (Melipona bicolor), native to cold regions and the Atlantic Forest.
The ecological role of these bees is of great importance. They are key pollinators for many native plants as well as agricultural crops like passion fruit and coffee, contributing to biodiversity and ecosystem balance. Additionally, stingless bees produce high-quality honey known for its medicinal properties, although in smaller quantities than exotic bees. Other products, such as propolis and pollen, also have significant commercial and medicinal value.
The practice of meliponiculture, or stingless bee keeping, is growing in Brazil as a sustainable and environmentally friendly activity. In addition to producing high-value honey, it helps preserve species and promotes the pollination of agricultural crops and forests.
However, these bees face significant challenges, such as deforestation and habitat loss, which directly threaten their survival. The use of pesticides and competition with exotic bees like Apis mellifera also pose risks. Despite this, stingless bees remain symbols of environmental balance, standing out for their ecological, economic, and cultural importance.
We discussed the capture of native bees, here’s the link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wH3nM-MLv-I&list=PLY_2siNLJqxu4VKnsK3ExzhPxm4ZT8B7Q
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