Main technical-productive characteristics of meliponiculture in two locations of the municipality of Calkiní, Campeche

Abstract

Objective: To identify the main technical-productive characteristics of two meliponiculture production systems—traditional and technical—in two locations of the municipality of Calkiní, Campeche. Design/Methodology/Approach: Semi-structured interviews of 60 items were applied to bee growers from Pucnanchen and Santa Cruz between August and December 2021. The population of meliponiculturists was established by using the snowball method. Results: We found a total of 43 bee colonies of the M. beecheii species (39 hobones and 14 technified boxes). The interviewed meliponiculturists are over 49 years old and have an average of 10.75 colonies per meliponary. In modern meliponaries, galvanized metal sheets have replaced huano (Sabal yapa) leaf roofing. Likewise, some hobones have been replaced by technified boxes to breed native bees. Study limitations/Implications: This study describes the technical-productive characteristics of the two production systems (traditional and technical) used in meliponiculture in two locations of the municipality of Calkiní, Campeche. Findings/Conclusions: There is a decline in the number of people practicing meliponiculture, an activity still rooted in rural communities and that retains its economic, cultural, and social importance. In rural communities, the use of melipona honey for health purposes persists, as well as the religious customs associated with this type of honey.