An Brazilian observation bee box experiment - native bees
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Matthew Berigan
Apr 27, 2021, 9:17:46 PM4/27/21
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Native bee observation box:
Hi, I just opened my new Melipona scutellaris observation bee box. Here are two very short videos. Pardon the Portuguese but that how it rolls here.
I have to figure out better ways to film this. Lighting (reflection on the acrylic) is an issue.
20210425 - Uruçu (Melipona scutellaris) na caixa didática de Lenildo Belarmino, divisão de 06abr2021
https://youtu.be/PTh4FafpFdc
20210425 - Uruçu (Melipona scutellaris) na caixa didática de Lenildo Belarmino¹, divisão de 06abr2021
https://youtu.be/ovPXZUB2bWY
This hive is a split from a "caixa nordestina"² (a large, open area box that is popular in the northeast of Brazil) and the split was done just a little over two weeks ago. They've developed a good cover of what here is called cerumen (cerume) and I'm giving them time to be better established before opening to look for a queen. These natives will try to maintain a drone-only hive and I'm hoping that there was a queen in my split (not always easy to find, especially for a newbie).
The hope is that once well established I can take the box to the organic markets (schools too) and help spread the idea of doing whatever it takes to preserve native species bees of all types as well as the improvement of urban (or rural) plantings, the preservation of older trees with hollows for nesting, considerations regarding oligoletic³ native bees that maintain special foraging relationships with specific plants. I have found that once somebody starts keeping native bees they immediately turn their focus to dangers and to foraging needs. We commonly have pesticide applications throughout the rural areas but also generalized urban spraying for mosquito control (neighborhood fogging for control of Zika and Dengue) as well as other household issues (termites, ants and cockroaches). We also have rampant urban growth and general unfamiliarity of basic natural ecosystems. Native bees draw people in to consider many of these issues.
And what about the Apis mellifera focus here? Well I hope to become more informed but currently focus on the native species that do well in the urban areas (remember that our Apis mellifera are all Africanized and pretty aggressive).
¹ Lenildo Belarmino is my box builder and raises whole hives to sell. His "meliponary" (apiary for Apis mellifera) usually hold 50+ boxes or mainly Melipona scutellaris.
¹ Caixa nordestina (northeastern hive) example: http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fhiAjSyR0qA/U4ov19SirYI/AAAAAAAAFd8/ZDkCcAKZ6Uw/s1600/029.JPG
² Oligolecty - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oligolecty
Additional info and a list of Brazilian Oligolectic bees: http://www.webbee.org.br/bpi/solitary/clemens.pdf
Hi, I just opened my new Melipona scutellaris observation bee box. Here are two very short videos. Pardon the Portuguese but that how it rolls here.
I have to figure out better ways to film this. Lighting (reflection on the acrylic) is an issue.
20210425 - Uruçu (Melipona scutellaris) na caixa didática de Lenildo Belarmino, divisão de 06abr2021
https://youtu.be/PTh4FafpFdc
20210425 - Uruçu (Melipona scutellaris) na caixa didática de Lenildo Belarmino¹, divisão de 06abr2021
https://youtu.be/ovPXZUB2bWY
This hive is a split from a "caixa nordestina"² (a large, open area box that is popular in the northeast of Brazil) and the split was done just a little over two weeks ago. They've developed a good cover of what here is called cerumen (cerume) and I'm giving them time to be better established before opening to look for a queen. These natives will try to maintain a drone-only hive and I'm hoping that there was a queen in my split (not always easy to find, especially for a newbie).
The hope is that once well established I can take the box to the organic markets (schools too) and help spread the idea of doing whatever it takes to preserve native species bees of all types as well as the improvement of urban (or rural) plantings, the preservation of older trees with hollows for nesting, considerations regarding oligoletic³ native bees that maintain special foraging relationships with specific plants. I have found that once somebody starts keeping native bees they immediately turn their focus to dangers and to foraging needs. We commonly have pesticide applications throughout the rural areas but also generalized urban spraying for mosquito control (neighborhood fogging for control of Zika and Dengue) as well as other household issues (termites, ants and cockroaches). We also have rampant urban growth and general unfamiliarity of basic natural ecosystems. Native bees draw people in to consider many of these issues.
And what about the Apis mellifera focus here? Well I hope to become more informed but currently focus on the native species that do well in the urban areas (remember that our Apis mellifera are all Africanized and pretty aggressive).
¹ Lenildo Belarmino is my box builder and raises whole hives to sell. His "meliponary" (apiary for Apis mellifera) usually hold 50+ boxes or mainly Melipona scutellaris.
¹ Caixa nordestina (northeastern hive) example: http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fhiAjSyR0qA/U4ov19SirYI/AAAAAAAAFd8/ZDkCcAKZ6Uw/s1600/029.JPG
² Oligolecty - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oligolecty
Additional info and a list of Brazilian Oligolectic bees: http://www.webbee.org.br/bpi/solitary/clemens.pdf
If you're curious about the stingless bees of the tropics (in English), I was just recommended the following book by some stingless bee folks in Australia (https://sugarbag.net): "Stingless Bees Their Behaviour, Ecology and Evolution," Christoph Grüter, Springer, School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-60090-7. It is a bit pricey but covers stingless eusocial bees very well.
Matthew (Mateus) Berigan
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Campina Grande, Paraiba Brasil
608-237-1596 (USA-fixo)
608-509-4512 (USA-fixo)
83-99998-4928 (Brasil-móvel)
83-3201-4929 (Brasil-fixo)
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