Indigenous Knowledge, Habitat, and Nest Characterization of Stingless Bee (Meliponula beccarii) in West Arsi Zone of Oromia, Ethiopia

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Stingless bees are eusocial insects that play vital roles as pollinators of many flowering plants and high value products. However, information on their nesting habitats and nest characteristics is scarce in West Arsi Zone of Oromia, Ethiopia. This study was conducted to characterize indigenous knowledge, habitat, and nest of stingless bees. Data were collected using semistructured questionnaire, observations, and ground nest component measurement. The questionnaire survey was administered to 36 stingless bee honey hunters. The study result revealed that the stingless bee honey is considered important in treatment of cough and cold, asthma, tuberculosis, malaria, diabetes, and sore throat. Habitat loss and fragmentation, unwise use of agrochemicals, stingless bee enemies, destructive harvesting methods, lack of improved technologies for meliponiculture, and lack of government attention were the dominant threats to stingless bee hunting in the study area. Ground‐nesting stingless bees’ colonies are affected by several natural enemies, including ants, honey badgers, wasps, termites, snakes, and foxes. The eight nests of Meliponula beccarii (M. beccarii) were found under the ground at an average depth of 54.38 ± 17.25 cm in three different soil types. The nests of M. beccarii were protected with an average of 6.42 ± 2.82 guard bees/nest entrance that ranges from 2 to 9/colony. Moreover, the average value of honey volume per pot and per nest of M. beccarii was 20.38 ± 6.88 mL and 1.24 ± 427.28 L, respectively. The similarity of nesting substrates, nest architecture, and nesting environment with stingless bees in other regions and the unique indigenous knowledge of stingless bee honey hunters in the area aid in the direct adoption of stingless bee technologies to rescue the areas’ ever‐decreasing populations. Thus, based on these findings, adopting stingless bee colony domestication technology is critical for maintaining and improving productivity and conserving the species.