Abstract
Estimate of stingless bee colonies including nest structures and quantitative brood and adult individuals are scarce. Here, we describe a new approach to estimate colonial parameters from nest structure, adults and brood. We used five colonies of Plebeia droryana (Friese, 1900) to evaluate colony size and weight of adult and brood. Nest architecture in P. droryana is similar to the species of the same genus but differ to the other stingless bees. In this species, we counted a total of 9 to 12 brood combs and a total of 19 to 25 food pots in the nests. The number of individuals in the colonies is considered small and our estimate was based on individual and group weight. Our study approach may contribute to further detailed studies of the species nest and considering the stingless bees to the pollination of agricultural crops and native flora of tropical regions, it is important to add information about the biology of P. droryana.
Highlights
Stingless bees are found in tropical and subtropical regions all around the world (Sakagami, 1982) and they have populated tropical regions for over 65 million years – longer than Apis, the honeybees (Camargo & Pedro, 1992; Michener, 2000)
Stingless bees usually build their nests in holes in trees, cavity in the soil, and even in cavities in human constructions, but some construct aerial nests (Nogueira-Neto, 1997), and some species that regularly establish their nests within nests of Nasutitermes or ants (Michener, 2000)
In contrast to the Apini, new stingless bee nests are started by workers going back and forward from an existing old colony
Summary
Stingless bees are found in tropical and subtropical regions all around the world (Sakagami, 1982) and they have populated tropical regions for over 65 million years – longer than Apis, the honeybees (Camargo & Pedro, 1992; Michener, 2000). The nest architecture of stingless bees consists of an entrance, access tunnel, food pots (nectar and pollen storage) and brood area, with horizontal combs or in cluster (Zucchi & Sakagami, 1972; Wille & Michener, 1973; Michener, 1974). Lindauer and Kerr (1960) presented an estimate of adult workers in colonies of stingless bee colonies.
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