Abstract
The possible significance of nestmate recognition in prevention of robbing and parasitism in three species of stingless bees was assessed. Nestmate discrimination abilities vary among them; Melipona quadrifasciataworkers attacked 74% of nonnestmate conspecifics that were encountered, while M. scutellarisand M. rufiventriswere less discriminating, attacking only 14 and 60% of non-nestmates, respectively. In tests of interspecific interactions, M. quadrifasciataand M. scutellariswere the least mutually tolerant of all species pairs tested. Tests with Apis melliferashowed a high degree of intolerance by two of the three Meliponaspecies.
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