José Octavio Macías-Macías

Comparative temperature tolerance in stingless bee species from tropical highlands and lowlands of Mexico and implications for their conservation (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Meliponini)

The objective of this study was to evaluate the temperature sensitivity of three stingless bee species, one from the tropical highland transition Neartic-Neotropical region (Melipona colimana) and two from the tropical lowland regions (Melipona beecheii and Scaptotrigona hellwegeri) of Mexico. The changes in thoracic temperature, behavior, and mortality rate of workers and pupae of the three species submitted to control high and low temperatures were assessed. Workers of highland M. colimana regurgitated water and fanned their wings when submitted to high temperatures, a behavior reported here for the first time in a stingless bee. M. colimana consumed syrup and increased its thoracic temperature in response to cold environment. Workers and pupae of M. colimana experienced lower mortality rates than M. beecheii and S. hellwegeri. The results of this study showed the tolerance of M. colimana to a wider temperature range, possibly as a response to extreme conditions in its native environment. The implications of thermal susceptibility differences for the conservation of highland and lowland stingless bees are discussed.

Effect of lodging type on the internal temperature and humidity of colonies of Melipona colimana (Hymenoptera: Meliponini) from a Mexican temperate zone

Summary Stingless bees are mainly tropical insects and only a few species live in temperate climates. Melipona colimana is a stingless bee endemic to temperate areas of western Mexico, where there is much interest in exploiting it for honey production and crop pollination. It is not known, however, if colonies of this species would adapt to hives necessary for commercial exploitation. Twenty four colonies were transferred to trunks and wooden boxes having walls with one of two thicknesses (2.5 and 10.0 cm). The internal and ambient temperature and humidity were monitored for three months during winter, at the end of which, the brood cell numbers, number of adults, and nest weights were assessed. There were differences in temperature (F1 = 69.32; F2 = 1769.33; DF = 3, 56; P > 0.05) and humidity (F1 = 397.15; F2 = 1028.11; DF = 3, 56; P < 0.05) between environmental data and internal data of nests during day1 and night2, respectively. The internal temperature was statistically similar during the day in all three lodgings, but at night the nests in thick wooden boxes had higher temperatures compared with the other two. There was a decrease in the development of the nests and bee populations in all three lodgings, and a lowest development occurred in thin-walled boxes, probably due to thickness reduction in the lodging walls. This bee species appears capable of maintaining control of the internal environment and this ability is enhanced by using greater thickness of the lodging walls as in this study. The use of boxes with thick walls is recommended for better nest development.

Foraging behavior, environmental parameters and nests development of Melipona colimana Ayala (Hymenoptera: Meliponini) in temperate climate of Jalisco, México

Melipona colimana Ayala is an endemic species inhabiting temperate forests of pine and oak of south of Jalisco in Mexico. During a year, it was recorded every 15 days foraging activity, environmental parameters and the development of colonies of M. colimana in its wild habitat. For five minutes every hour from 7:00 to 21:00, the bees that entered and left the hive and bringing pollen and resin were registered. Every hour the relative humidity, temperature, wind speed and light intensity was recorded and related to foraging activity. Additionally, the weight of the colonies recently transferred to wooden boxes, the number of brood combs, honey pots and pollen were registered. The time of beginning and ending of the foraging activity differs from the reports of stingless bees of tropical weather and the same happens with the pollen collection. The environmental parameters that affect other tropical stingless bees in the foraging activity also affect M. colimana in temperate climate. It was determined that the major activity season and the presence of more pollen pots in the colony is from November through February, for what it could be the best time of the year for the division and obtainance of new colonies, while the critical period of minor activity and pollen flow was during rainy season. These data may be useful for the future sustainable use of this species in temperate climate.

Stingless bees in a temperate climate: oviposition behavior and duration of ontogenic development stages in Melipona colimana (Hymenoptera: Meliponini)

Melipona colimana is a stingless bee endemic to temperate areas of the Trans-Mexican volcanic belt, where intranest behavior during the provisioning and oviposition process, duration of ontogenic development stages and time of emergence of individuals were determined. It was observed that the dynamics of provisioning and oviposition do not differ substantially from tropical species of the same genus, but ontogenic development in a temperate climate was longer than in a tropical climate, possibly due to lower temperatures in the original habitat of the species. Duration of ontogenic development of M. colimana individuals is the longest recorded so far among the species of Melipona genus. Worker bees took 55.44 ± 1.09 days to emerge from the cells; males, 57.14 ± 0.94 and gynes, 52.62 ± 0.63, with statistical differences between them (F = 367.72, DF = 2, 395, p < .05). The gynes emerged before workers, and workers before the males. The obtained data can be used to promote the sustainable use of this species in mountains in Mexico.

Effect of Different Substrates on the Acceptance of Grafted Larvae in Commercial Honey Bee (Apis Mellifera) Queen Rearing

Abstract The need for the increased production of honey bee (Apis mellifera) queens has led beekeepers to use different substrates in artificial queen cups where larvae destined to become queens are deposited (grafting). However, not enough scientific evidence exists that indicates that this practice is useful and what substance offers the best results. This study was conducted to determine with the Doolittle queen rearing method the acceptance rate of larvae deposited on different substrates during grafting and to determine if the sugar content and pH of the substrates used affect the acceptance of larvae in cell builder colonies. The evaluated substrates were coconut water, apple nectar, royal jelly, cola soda and distilled water, plus control (without substrate). Grafted larvae of the six treatments were introduced into cell builder colonies and their acceptance verified after 72 h. Apple nectar provided the highest rate of larvae acceptance with 81.06%, followed by cola soda with 62.93%, coconut water with 60.90%, royal jelly with 57.82% and distilled water with 58.99%. The larvae acceptance rates of all substrates were significantly higher than the control, which had an acceptance rate of 47.04%. No significant relationship was found between the sugar content of the substrates and larvae acceptance. However, although not significant, a high negative correlation was found between the substrate pH and the number of accepted larvae (Rho = - 0.90, p = 0.07). These results suggest that the use of liquid acidic substrates during larvae grafting, in particular apple nectar, may increase the production of honey bee queens.

The Nest Structure and Nesting Sites of Melipona colimana (Hymenoptera: Meliponini) a Stinglees Bee from Jalisco, México

Introduction Stingless bee cultivation is known as meliponiculture, an agricultural activity that was of great importance in México during the prehispanic age. With passing of time, meliponiculture has decreased, a consequence of modernity (Brittain & Potts, 2011; Byrne & Fitzpatrick, 2009; Villanueva-Gutierrez, Roubik, & ColliUcan, 2005). In México, only a few places remain where they still practice the art of meliponiculture, primarily in the Yucatan peninsula, where they principally use the Melipona beecheii species and in the north Sierra of the state of Puebla, where the species Scaptotrigona mexicana is cultivated. In these regions, beekeepers utilize traditional methods to cultivate and harvest from the stingless bees lodged in tree hollows and double clay pots, where one pot is inverted on top of another. Beekeepers harvest honey, wax, and geopropolis, a special type of propolis collected by stingless bees that incorporates resin, wax, and soil (Becerra, 2011; Echazarreta, Quezada-Euán, Medina, & Pasteur, 1997; Quezada-Euán, 1999).