Stingless bees and human disturbance: Nesting habits and foraging behavior of Melipona colimana Ayala (Hymenoptera: Meliponini) in conserved and disturbed habitants: a case study of an endemic bee from Jalisco, Mexico

Abstract

Melipona colimana is a stingless bee endemic of pine-oak tree forests from western Mexico which has great potencial for the exploitation of its nest products. However, basic information about its nesting habits and specific biology are lacking, knowledge that would allow its management and exploitation in a sustainable way. Data on characteristics of nesting sites from two areas with different degrees of human disturbance in the region of origin of M. colimana were generated. Additionally, the foraging behavior of the bees was studied during the course of one year to determine the season during which they are more active. It was found that this bee species has a high tendency to nest in oak trees (Quercus laurina). However, nesting in these trees may be detrimental for the bees because this tree species is commonly used by humans to produce oak charcoal, practice that destroys nesting sites for the best time to artificially reproduce colinies of these bees. General aspects of stingless bee biology as well as specific and relevant biological data of M. colimana are discussed in this chapter.