Resin Use by Stingless Bees: A Review

Abstract

Stingless bees (Meliponini) are highly social bees that are native to tropical and sub-tropical ecosystems. Resin use is vital to many aspects of stingless bee colony function. Stingless bees use resin to build essential nest structures, repel predators, and kill would-be invaders. Furthermore, resin-derived compounds have been found to enrich the cuticular chemical profiles of many stingless bee species, and resin may play an important role in shaping the microbial communities associated with stingless bees and their nests. Despite its importance for colony function, previous reviews of resin use by stingless bees are lacking. This topic grows increasingly urgent as changes in beekeeping and land use practices occur, potentially diminishing stingless bees’ ability to incorporate resin into the nest environment. In this article, we review existing literature on resin use by stingless bees and discuss potential areas of future research.

Labellar Structure of the Maxillaria splendens Alliance (Orchidaceae: Maxillariinae) Indicates Floral Polyphenols as a Reward for Stingless Bees

“…Polyphenols are common constituents of both the resins collected by bees from plants and the ‘bee-glue’ produced in their nest [ 47 ]. Many of the properties of both these materials have been investigated [ 47 , 48 , 49 , 50 , 51 ]. Nevertheless, both substances have inconsistently been referred to as propolis or cerumen [ 48 , 51 ].…”

“…Many of the properties of both these materials have been investigated [ 47 , 48 , 49 , 50 , 51 ]. Nevertheless, both substances have inconsistently been referred to as propolis or cerumen [ 48 , 51 ]. Propolis (bee-glue) is a complex and heterogeneous resinous mixture made by bees from collected plant-derived and other substances.…”

A review of stingless bees' bioactivity in different parts of the world

“…Because the hive itself is constructed out of propolis, the majority of a hive inhabited by stingless bees will contain propolis as its primary component. In a study that looked at nine different species of Trigona , the researchers found that the hive consists of 63.7 percent propolis, 20.9 percent beebread, and 15.4 percent honey [ 77 , 78 ]. In addition, it is uncertain what percentage of each product produced by stingless bees is utilized in the pharmaceutical or commercial industries.…”

Revisión sobre la presencia del Pequeño Escarabajo de la Colmena, Aethina tumida (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae) infestando colonias de abejas nativas sin aguijón (Apidae: Meliponini)

“…Uso de resinas en la tribu Meliponini: Se debe mencionar que, la resina es importante para el funcionamiento de la colonia, dado que es un material utilizado, tanto para la construcción de panales que albergan la cría, como para potes de almacenamiento de miel y polen (Aguilar, 2001). De acuerdo con Shanahan & Spivak (2021), las resinas dan protección al nido contra ciertas plagas y depredadores. Lo cual brinda, a las abejas nativas sin aguijón, ciertas ventajas para contrarrestar la presencia del Pequeño Escarabajo y evitar un impacto negativo en las colonias.…”