Stingless Bee

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stingless bee, meliponines, resin
A stingless bee collecting resin.

Stingless bees are widely distributed in tropical regions, but they are most diverse in Southeast Asia partly due to the high numbers of resinous trees. They collect resins, such as those from dipterocarps trees in the rainforest, to be used as construction material for their nest which are built inside tree trunks. Resins also serve as protective material that deters predators including ants and wasps from attacking their colony.

stingless bee, meliponines, nectar, Asystasia flower
A stingless bee visiting Asystasia flower.

Like honeybees, stingless bees feed primarily on nectar, but they are also known to opportunistically take honeydew, fruit juice, and carrion, among many others. When visiting tubular flowers, they habitually cut a hole near the base of the flower using their mandible, for easier access to nectar source.


Locally, stingless bees are known as lukut (Philippines), kelulut (Malaysia) and emmu (Sulawesi). Locals have been rearing these social bees for honey using logs, wooden box or bamboo as nest. Despite the occurrence of many species in the area, only a few species are suitable for commercial beekeeping such as Heterotrigona itama and Geniotrigona thoracica.

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