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Medicinal Uses of Melipona beecheii Honey, by the Ancient Maya
Abstract
One characteristic medical practice of ancient Maya people was the extensive use of honey “kab” of the native stingless bee Melipona beecheii, “xunan kab.” The Maya traditional doctors “ah dzac” used the honey extensively as a fundamental part of their medicine. According to the ancient Maya, the illnesses cured with honey of Melipona were of supernatural origin. This honey was used to cure “cold” and “hot” diseases, respiratory, digestive, and sensory maladies, syndromes of cultural filiation, and the group of ailments known as fevers, wounds, burns, and poisonous stings or bites. The Maya supplied certain attributes to honey, considering it a divine product of special “kinam,” force, sent by the gods, an energetic and sacred food to assist man in controlling the diverse diseases that he suffered. The cause of the diseases and the melipona honey-healing processes are described in the prescriptions and incantations, carefully preserved in anonymous Mayan manuscripts.
... Evidence from different parts of the world indicates that stingless bee honey has long been widely used as a traditional remedy to treat various ailments from time immemorial. Among the ancient Mayans, for example, stingless bee honey locally known as "kab" was extensively used to cure "cold" and "hot" diseases, respiratory, digestive, sensory maladies, syndromes of cultural filiations, and a group of ailments known as fevers, wounds, burns, and poisonous stings or bites (Rosales, 2013). Stingless bee honey is also a valued source of nutrients and plays an important role in social traditions, traditional medicine and rituals among the indigenous Aboriginal people in northern Australia (Akerman, 1979;Isaacs, 2000). ...
... In Ecuador, the Achuar people are known to use stingless bee honey mainly fornutritional purposes and as a remedy against colds and throat inflammation (Guerrini et al., 2009). In Malaysia, honey produced by a stingless bee (Trigona species), commonly known as 'Kelulut' is used as a remedy for many diseases and as an anti-ageing product (Barakhbah, 2007;Shahjahan et al., 2007). ...
... Consistent with other studies (Guerrini et al., 2009), it was found that stingless bee honey is majorly used traditionally for the treatment of respiratory disorders including coughs, tonsillitis, chest problems, asthma, pneumonia and whooping cough (Figure 1). This might be related to the well-known, antioxidant, antiinflammatory and anti-microbial activities of stingless bee honey (Shahjahan et al., 2007;Pimentel et al., 2013;Zulkhairi Amin et al., 2018). Besides respiratory disorders, gastrointestinal tract disorders were also mentioned among the top-most disorders that are treated with stingless bee honey. ...
... A man that was negligent, cruel, or naughty with his family or neighbors, or with defenseless people such as youngsters or elders, was prone to anger the gods and to receive their punishment in the form of a sickness. According to Mayan people, these are the main causes of diseases (Ocampo-Rosales, 2013). ...
... Mayan use honey, to cure diseases of respiratory, digestive, circulatory, and immunological systems. It was also used as a remedy for maladies of the sensory organs, such as the skin, eyes, ears, mouth, tongue, gums, and teeth (Ocampo-Rosales, 2013). In tropical and subtropical regions characterized by a high biodiversity, another important application of honey was as a remedy against the stings and bites of scorpions, spiders, tarantulas, bugs, ants, and venomous serpents (Barrera and Barrera-Vásquez 1983). ...
... In traditional Mayan medicine, several diseases of the digestive tract like diarrhea, severe colics, parasitosis, and dysentery are treated with honey. The Mayan book "Ritual de los Bacabes" detailed prescriptions and recipes for preparation of remedies for the treatment of various digestive disorders (Ocampo-Rosales, 2013). ...
Chronic diseases and microbial infections are increasing threats for human health. There are numerous natural compounds that can contribute to control acute infections caused by bacteria and fungi. Also, these bioactive molecules can prevent several disorders like hypertension, diabetes and hypercholesterolemia. Honey has been reported as an antimicrobial substance in the treatment of skin injuries, stomach diseases and fungal colonization of mucosa. In this sense, the high impact of antibacterial effect in honey has been demonstrated in the inhibition of strains that have resistance to antibiotics. Some species with antibiotic resistance that have been reported as susceptible to honey compounds are Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Mycobacterium tuberculosis. In a similar way, honey is a natural source of antioxidant compounds that promotes several aspects of human health like blood pressure stabilization and control of reactive oxygen species, in synergy with other compounds present in honey; antioxidants can kill opportunistic pathogens that could proliferate in diverse tissues and organs. However, the current studies of honey have been focused in one bee species, Apis mellifera; this social insect is the predominant producer of honey around the world, and it is used as a pollinator of several crops. In contrast to this predominance, the study of native bees, like stingless bees, remains poorly explored. The initial reports have documented the potential of these honeys in the treatment of burn injuries, diabetic complications and cataracts. Also, this honey is highly effective in the control of several bacterial and fungal infections recalcitrant to available antibiotics. All of these results make this organic product very demanded in many nations around the globe. The purpose of this book is to describe the ancient uses of Melipona beecheii honey in the Mayan culture before the arrival of Spanish conquerors, the present state of the melipona cultures in the inhabitants of Yucatan Peninsula, the physical, chemical and nutraceutical properties of this valuable product, relevant aspects of the quality control and the more exciting discoveries about the medicinal properties of melipona honey. Without a doubt, the information contained in this book would contribute to promote the conservation of stingless bee species and to encourage the fair trade of the honey produced by these species.
... A man that was negligent, cruel, or naughty with his family or neighbors, or with defenseless people such as youngsters or elders, was prone to anger the gods and to receive their punishment in the form of a sickness. According to Mayan people, these are the main causes of diseases (Ocampo-Rosales, 2013). ...
... Mayan use honey, to cure diseases of respiratory, digestive, circulatory, and immunological systems. It was also used as a remedy for maladies of the sensory organs, such as the skin, eyes, ears, mouth, tongue, gums, and teeth (Ocampo-Rosales, 2013). In tropical and subtropical regions characterized by a high biodiversity, another important application of honey was as a remedy against the stings and bites of scorpions, spiders, tarantulas, bugs, ants, and venomous serpents (Barrera and Barrera-Vásquez 1983). ...
... In traditional Mayan medicine, several diseases of the digestive tract like diarrhea, severe colics, parasitosis, and dysentery are treated with honey. The Mayan book "Ritual de los Bacabes" detailed prescriptions and recipes for preparation of remedies for the treatment of various digestive disorders (Ocampo-Rosales, 2013). ...
The study of the microorganisms associated with Melipona honey is very important, especially from two points of view: the content of probiotics and innocuity. Even when properties of bee honey, such as osmotic pressure, hydrogen peroxide content and pH, lead to think that this food could not contain any microorganisms; there are reports about existing microflora in the bee honey. Pollen and honeybee stomachs are the main sources of microorganisms in honey. However, other sources, during manipulation, could introduce other microorganisms, sometimes pathogenic. In this chapter, we discuss about the microflora found in Melipona honey. Microbiological, biochemical and molecular techniques have been employed to identify the microorganisms present in bee honey; former studies report the existence of some bacteria, mainly of Bacillus genus, yeasts like Candida and fungi like Aspergillus. Recent research in our group has permitted to isolate and identify some non-pathogenic bacteria such as Bacillus subtilis / Bacillus amyloliquefaciens, Bacillus pumilus / Bacillus safensis and Bacillus licheniformis in Melipona honey. Furthermore, determination of microflora in honey could be used as a microbiological quality standard due to some pathogenic species of bacteria like Bacillus larvae, Bacillus cereus and Bacillus alvei could affect the innocuity of Melipona honey.
... A man that was negligent, cruel, or naughty with his family or neighbors, or with defenseless people such as youngsters or elders, was prone to anger the gods and to receive their punishment in the form of a sickness. According to Mayan people, these are the main causes of diseases (Ocampo-Rosales, 2013). ...
... Mayan use honey, to cure diseases of respiratory, digestive, circulatory, and immunological systems. It was also used as a remedy for maladies of the sensory organs, such as the skin, eyes, ears, mouth, tongue, gums, and teeth (Ocampo-Rosales, 2013). In tropical and subtropical regions characterized by a high biodiversity, another important application of honey was as a remedy against the stings and bites of scorpions, spiders, tarantulas, bugs, ants, and venomous serpents (Barrera and Barrera-Vásquez 1983). ...
... In traditional Mayan medicine, several diseases of the digestive tract like diarrhea, severe colics, parasitosis, and dysentery are treated with honey. The Mayan book "Ritual de los Bacabes" detailed prescriptions and recipes for preparation of remedies for the treatment of various digestive disorders (Ocampo-Rosales, 2013). ...
Ancient Maya civilization developed the technology required in cultivation of stingless bees. At the present time, these techniques are conserved by inhabitants of Yucatan peninsula and Central America. Without a doubt, the cultivation of Melipona beecheii persists due to the natural properties of honey and its uses in ceremonies, ethnomedicine and traditional therapies. Commonly, the cultivation of stingless bees is performed in a hollow trunk that is adapted to necessities of bees and it is called in Maya “jobon." The design and construction of this honeycomb is mainly empirical and it is transmitted through generations. However, several drawbacks are observed in the use of this handcraft honeycomb, the drilling of the trunk is laborious, the detection of diseases in bees is difficult and the harvest of honey usually requires the breakdown of the trunk and could damage the health of colonies. For this reason, has been proposed the use of novel techniques for production of stingless bee honey such as the design of wood boxes and the establishment of recipients that contains colonies of bees, honey and pollen. The purpose of this chapter is to summarize the current aspects of technification of stingless bee honeys and to describe the main attempts to develop a sustainable production of honey in Yucatan peninsula and other relevant areas of Mexico.
... Honey has been used for medicinal purpose by many societies, such as the Mayan, for millennia (Ocampo-Rosales, 2013). In Polish traditional medicine, for example, honey has been a popular remedy to treat respiratory diseases, gastrointestinal disorders, dermatological problems, heart disorders and for contagious diseases (chickenpox, measles). ...
... , a;Estrada, 2012;Fuenmayor et al., 2013;Rosso-Londoño, 2013;Vit et al., 2013;Zamora et al., 2013) and Melipona beecheii, Trigona nigra, Cephalotrigona zexmeniae, Frieseomelitta nigra, Scaptotrigona hellwegeri, Melipona fasciata and Geotrigona acapulconis in Mexico and Central America(Quezada-Euán, 2005;Ocampo-Rosales, 2013;Reyes- González et al., 2014). In the Misiones province (Argentina) ...
Diverse knowledge systems, including science and indigenous and local knowledge (ILK), contribute to understanding pollinators and pollination, their economic, environmental and socio-cultural values and their management globally(well established). Scientific knowledge provides extensive and multidimensional understanding of pollinators and pollination, resulting in detailed understanding of their diversity, functions and steps needed to protect pollinators and the values they produce. In indigenous and local knowledge systems, pollination processes are often understood, celebrated and managed holistically in terms of maintaining values through fostering fertility, fecundity, spirituality and diversity of farms, gardens, and other habitats. The combined use of economic, socio-cultural and holistic valuation of pollinator gains and losses, using multiple knowledge systems, brings different perspectives from different stakeholder groups, providing more information for the management of and decision-making about pollinators and pollination, although key knowledge gaps remain.
... Honey from stingless bees has been used by Mayan traditional healers for thousands of years in remedies to treat diverse diseases of supernatural origin. Melipona honey is considered both a sacred energetic and healing food, and is the central ingredient in the alcoholic drink balché (Rosales 2013). Honey from stingless bees continues to be important in Mayan rituals and culture, and is commonly used as a medicine to treat eye infections and cataracts, for dermatological and gastrointestinal ailments and post-partum recovery, among many other contemporary pharmacological applications (Rosales 2013;Rao et al. 2016). ...
... Melipona honey is considered both a sacred energetic and healing food, and is the central ingredient in the alcoholic drink balché (Rosales 2013). Honey from stingless bees continues to be important in Mayan rituals and culture, and is commonly used as a medicine to treat eye infections and cataracts, for dermatological and gastrointestinal ailments and post-partum recovery, among many other contemporary pharmacological applications (Rosales 2013;Rao et al. 2016). Around the world, stingless bee honeys are occasionally used as a highly-prized sweetener, and collected pollen, propolis and resin are widely used. 2 There is budding interest, too, in generating tourism from the meliponiculture resurgence in Mexico (Bellows 2012;Lemelin 2019), and in using the hive products in cosmetics. ...
... The ancient Greeks and Egyptians, for example, used topical application of honey to treat skin wounds and burns and Persian traditional medicine documented honey as effective in the treatment of wounds, eczema and inflammation (Eteraf-Oskouei and Najafi, 2013). One characteristic medical practice of ancient Maya people was the extensive use of honey of the native stingless bee Melipona beecheii (Ocampo- Rosales, 2012). The Maya traditional doctors used the honey extensively as a fundamental part of their medicine to cure wounds, burns, and poisonous stings or bites (Ocampo- Rosales, 2012). ...
... One characteristic medical practice of ancient Maya people was the extensive use of honey of the native stingless bee Melipona beecheii (Ocampo- Rosales, 2012). The Maya traditional doctors used the honey extensively as a fundamental part of their medicine to cure wounds, burns, and poisonous stings or bites (Ocampo- Rosales, 2012). The antimicrobial potential of honey was first described a century ago. ...
Honeys of different floral origins have high content of antioxidant compounds; among them the flavonoids show many beneficial effects on human health and can be employed in the treatment of several diseases. Flavonoids are heterocyclic compounds obtained from different parts of plants such as leaves, flowers and fruits. Bees collect pollen and nectar from many flowers and generate a complex mixture of flavonoids that are present in honey. The antioxidant compounds present in this natural product could alleviate inflammatory responses, oestrogenic disorders, bacterial and fungal infections, allergic syndromes, vascular diseases and tumour growth. Representative phenolic acids and flavonoids that have been detected in honey are chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, ellagic acid, catechin, myricetin, quercetin and apigenin. The purpose of this chapter is to summarize the current knowledge about mechanisms of flavonoids in the treatment of fungal and bacterial infections and discuss the main molecules identified as flavonoids in honey from Melipona beecheii.
... The ancient Greeks and Egyptians, for example, used topical application of honey to treat skin wounds and burns and Persian traditional medicine documented honey as effective in the treatment of wounds, eczema and inflammation (Eteraf-Oskouei and Najafi, 2013). One characteristic medical practice of ancient Maya people was the extensive use of honey of the native stingless bee Melipona beecheii (Ocampo- Rosales, 2012). The Maya traditional doctors used the honey extensively as a fundamental part of their medicine to cure wounds, burns, and poisonous stings or bites (Ocampo- Rosales, 2012). ...
... One characteristic medical practice of ancient Maya people was the extensive use of honey of the native stingless bee Melipona beecheii (Ocampo- Rosales, 2012). The Maya traditional doctors used the honey extensively as a fundamental part of their medicine to cure wounds, burns, and poisonous stings or bites (Ocampo- Rosales, 2012). The antimicrobial potential of honey was first described a century ago. ...
Melipona beecheii honey is traditionally known as a therapeutic agent, used against diseases caused by microorganisms. Today it is known that stingless bee honey has antimicrobial activity, however, antimicrobial mechanisms of honey are not fully elucidated. Various reports indicate that compounds such as hydrogen peroxide and flavonoids and certain properties, i.e., high osmolarity and low pH, provide the antimicrobial effect. Nevertheless, recent studies have showed the presence of enzymes, proteins, and peptides, which could exhibit antimicrobial activity. Several enzymes have been reported in stingless bee honey such as diastase, amylases, glucose oxidase and proteases, these proteins could contribute to the antimicrobial activity of this honey. In this chapter antimicrobial activity of protein extracts from M. beecheii honey were evaluated against pathogenic bacteria. Electrophoretic studies of showed the presence of seven protein bands of various molecular weights (95, 55, 49, 29, 14.6, 11.5 and 7 kDa) in protein extracts of honey. These protein extracts have shown to inhibit the growth of Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Vibrio cholerae and Enterococcus faecalis at concentrations of less than 60 mg/mL. Results indicated that these proteins play an important role in the antimicrobial activity of Melipona beecheii honey.
... The ancient Greeks and Egyptians, for example, used topical application of honey to treat skin wounds and burns and Persian traditional medicine documented honey as effective in the treatment of wounds, eczema and inflammation (Eteraf-Oskouei and Najafi, 2013). One characteristic medical practice of ancient Maya people was the extensive use of honey of the native stingless bee Melipona beecheii (Ocampo- Rosales, 2012). The Maya traditional doctors used the honey extensively as a fundamental part of their medicine to cure wounds, burns, and poisonous stings or bites (Ocampo- Rosales, 2012). ...
... One characteristic medical practice of ancient Maya people was the extensive use of honey of the native stingless bee Melipona beecheii (Ocampo- Rosales, 2012). The Maya traditional doctors used the honey extensively as a fundamental part of their medicine to cure wounds, burns, and poisonous stings or bites (Ocampo- Rosales, 2012). The antimicrobial potential of honey was first described a century ago. ...
In the Yucatan Peninsula, stingless bee culture dates from pre-Hispanic times. At the height of the Mayan civilization, cultivation of stingless bees reached a level of sophistication comparable to the cultivation of Apis mellifera in Europe at the same time. Honey extracted from hives was used in religious ceremonies, as food and medicine. Many of the healing properties attributed to honey are the basis for some treatments of traditional medicine around the world, reaching used in the treatment of open wounds, in the treatment of ulcers and sores on the skin also the ancient Maya used Melipona beecheii honey to accelerate the healing of wounds and burns. Other traditional uses given to M. beecheii honey are reducing and curing cataracts, pterygium eye, and conjunctivitis. Today Mayan communities use M. beecheii honey for the treatment of diseases like as laryngitis, sinusitis, typhoid, bronchitis, cough and bacterial infections. Even there are reports where the use of honey has been successful against some type of cancers. This chapter compilates some actual medicinal uses of honey from Melipona beecheii in Mayan communities of Yucatan. Contrasting traditional uses with strong scientific evidence about the therapeutic uses and effects of honey.
... In the Yucatan peninsula, the bee Melipona beecheii was named "cab" or "kab" in the Mayan language. It was considered of such importance by the Mayan people that, after a long process of appropriation, the bees were deified and named "xunan cab," or "xunan kab" (Ocampo-Rosales, 2013). A wide range of attributes may suggest that M. beecheii honey enhances several systems to control digestive disorders, eye diseases, and respiratory infections, wound healing, post-birth recovery, fatigue, casts for fractures and skin ulcers (Vit et al., 2004). ...
The knowledge regarding the physicochemical characteristics of the honey produced by stingless bees is still limited, mainly due to the high diversity of the floral resources and the low production that is inherent to these species. This manuscript describes the physicochemical characterization of 27 honey samples produced by Melipona beecheii, from the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico. The objective of this study was to contribute to the establishment of standards for quality control. The following parameters were evaluated in the honey samples: reducing sugars, moisture content, acidity, pH, hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF), ash, soluble solids, formol index, proline and color. Most of physico-chemical parameters fulfilled the quality criteria established by the International Legislation for Apis honey, with the exception of moisture content, which presented higher values; for that, the results indicate that the international standard procedures are not completing adequate for all the parameters analyzed on Apis mellifera honey and therefore is need establish a suitable standard of quality control for honey from Melipona.
... As the world is facing a rapid erosion of this valuable natural and cultural heritage, due to decades of colonialism, agricultural intensification and shifting of land uses causing deforestation among other forms of anthropogenic environmental disturbance in a context of food system globalization, we are likely to witness an increased decline in communities living close to or within tropical forests [4]. This, in turn, will contribute to obliterating their cultural identities, and lead to the disappearance of TEK, including aspects of subsistence, habitat protection, spiritual significance, and traditional or folk medicine among others [3,5]. Worldwide, natural remedies derived from insects and their by-products have long been used in traditional or folk healthcare [6]. ...
Background Stingless bee honey (SBH) is a natural remedy and therapeutic agent traditionally used by local com- munities across the (sub-)tropics. Forest SBH represents a prime non-timber forest product (NTFP) with a potential
to revitalize indigenous foodways and to generate income in rural areas, yet it is also used in a variety of non-
food contexts that are poorly documented in sub-Saharan Africa and that collectively represent a significant part
of the local traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) passed on across generations. Documenting TEK of local commu- nities in African tropical forests facing global change is a pressing issue to recognize the value of their insights, to eval- uate their sustainability, to determine how they contribute to enhancing conservation efforts, and how TEK generally contributes to the well-being of both the natural environment and the communities that rely on it. This is particularly important to achieve in Kenya’s only tropical rainforest at Kakamega where SBH production and non-food uses have evolved and diversified to a remarkable extent.
Methods We used ethnographic techniques and methods, including semi-structured questionnaires and recorded interviews. We used snowball sampling, a non-probability sampling method where new interviewees were recruited by other respondents, to collectively form a sample consisting of 36 interviewees (including only one woman).
Results Our results indicate that local communities in Kakamega were able to discriminate between six different and scientifically recognized stingless bee species, and they provided detailed accounts on the species-specific non- food uses of these SBH. Collectively, we recorded an array of 26 different non-food uses that are all passed on orally across generations in the Kakamega community.
Conclusion Our results uncover the vast and hitherto unexpected diversity of TEK associated with SBH and pave the way for a systematic survey of SBH and their non-food uses across a network of communities in different environ- ments and with different cultural backgrounds in the Afrotropics. This, along with parallel and more in-depth investi- gations into honey chemistry, will help develop a comprehensive understanding of SBH, offering insights into holis- tic ecosystem management, resilience and adaptation while in the mid- to long-term promoting cross-cultural exchanges and pathways for the revitalization of cultural practices and traditions.
... Humans have kept stingless bees and used their products since Millennia. The Mayans, in particular, incorporated meliponiculture in their social, economic, and religious activities (Rosales 2013;Quezada-Euán 2018;Źrałka et al. 2018; Quezada-Euán and Alves 2020). Honey and cerumen, for example, were used for trading with the Aztecs (Quezada-Euán 2018) and for paying taxes to Spanish conquistadores in the 16th century (Jones et al. 2012;Quezada-Euán 2018;Giannini et al. 2020). ...
Purwanto H, Soesilohadi RCH, Trianto M. 2022. Stingless bees from meliponiculture in South Kalimantan, Indonesia. Biodiversitas 23: 1254-1266. Kalimantan Island has many species of stingless bees that are widespread throughout the province. However, their morphology, morphometry, and nest structure characteristics have not been documented comprehensively. This paper described the morphological characters, morphometric measurements, nest entrance, and brood cell characteristics of stingless bees from meliponiculture in South Kalimantan, Indonesia. Ten stingless bee species were identified based on their morphological features:. Principal component analysis was performed to identify the grouping characters and thus determine their diagnostic characters. Furthermore, the shape, diameter, length, ornamentation, and color of the nest entrance and the arrangement, cells, and color of brood cells were observed. This study is the first to report high variations in the type of entrance opening and arrangement of brood cells for stingless bee species, which are abundant in South Kalimantan.
... Batang yang berisi koloni trigona ini disebut glodokan kemudian dibawa pulang untuk dipindahkan ke kotak baru atau stup budidaya. Peternakan lebah tanpa sengat dikenal sebagai meliponikultur (Rosales, 2013). Madu trigona merupakan madu yang paling istimewa diantara banyak madu-madu lainnya. ...
The purpose of this community service program is to provide knowledge about the importance of forests, woody forage plants and enrichment of feed types around meliponiculture farmer groups. The methods used in this activity as part of the mentoring are pre-tests, lectures, video screenings, discussions about knowledge of forest bee hunting, trigona beekeeping and the importance of forests and bee feed. The next activity was the distribution of flowering tree seedlings and visits to the meliponiculture location for farmer groups. The result of this community service activity is that the community in Kahu Village can develop knowledge about the material presented by seeing the enthusiasm and appreciation of the participants or members of the farmer groups who participated in the many questions during the discussion. Receipt of plant and tree seeds that are distributed immediately to the plant and group reception during visits to their meliponiculture area. Awareness of planting various types of vegetation and maintaining forests is an important factor for the stability of colony strength and can even increase the beekeeping productivity of all types of bees in Kahu Village, Bontocani District and its surroundings. Assistance from various parties is needed in order to increase the productivity of honey bee cultivation in Kahu Village, Bontocani District.
... Several scientific reports and anecdotes (Abu Bakar, Sanusi, Abu Bakar, Cong, & Mian, 2017;Halcroft, Spooner-Hart, Haigh, Heard, & Dollin, 2013;Ismail, 2016;Ismail & Ismail, 2018) have reported that stingless bee honey has the potential to generate a comfortable income for the beekeepers and add value to the functional food industry due to its high nutritional content (Vit, Medina, & Enriquez, 2004), good antioxidant properties (Biluca et al., 2017;da Silva et al., 2013;Harif Fadzilah, Jaapar, Jajuli, & Wan Omar, 2017;Kek, Chin, Yusof, Tan, & Chua, 2014), and antimicrobial activities (Abd Jalil, Kasmuri, & Hadi, 2017;Boorn et al., 2010;Choudhari, Punekar, Ranade, & Paknikar, 2012;Torres, Garedew, Schmolz, & Lamprecht, 2004;Zainol, Mohd Yusoff, & Mohd Yusof, 2013). Garedew, Schmolz, and Lamprecht (2004), Vit et al. (2004), and Rosales (2013) reported that stingless bee honey could potentially be used as a remedy for many illnesses such as stomach and intestinal ulcers, mouth diseases, sore throats, and for wound dressing in Ethiopia and other countries. ...
Stingless bee honey from Heterotrigona itama exhibits a high moisture content (>27.0%) and therefore, is highly susceptible to undesirable microbial fermentation unless it is reduced to less than 20%. This study aims to reduce the moisture content of honey using a novel method based on passive diffusion and monitor the subsequent changes in several properties of honey. To achieve this, approximately 50 mL of freshly harvested honey samples was placed in clay pots (4 cm diameter × 6 cm height), covered with lids, and stored at temperatures of either 25 ± 1°C, 60% relative humidity (RH), or 35 ± 1°C, 25% RH. The results showed that the moisture content and Aw of honey after storage were significantly reduced (p ≤ .05) from 25.8 to 19.5% and from 0.79 to 0.70, respectively. A similar level of reduction was achieved at 25°C, although this process took 21 days and resulted in some losses of honey solids due to cross‐wall diffusion. The reduction in moisture content also resulted in a decrease in pH and free acidity of honey and an increase in viscosity. The data obtained in this study indicate the feasibility of using clay pots as an alternative method to reduce the moisture content in honey and protect it against fermentative deterioration.
Practical Applications
Stingless bee honey is highly popular in Malaysia and many other countries as it is high in carbohydrates and possesses many health benefits such as antioxidants and antimicrobial properties. However, the honey is susceptible to fermentation as its moisture content often exceeds the level required for microbial stability. Traditionally, the moisture content of stingless bee honey is reduced by drying the honey in shallow trays at elevated temperatures. However, this leads to contamination if the drying is performed under unhygienic conditions. Therefore, this study proposed the application of a passive diffusion method that serves as an effective alternative for moisture reduction in honey. It is anticipated that this method will not only reduce the moisture content but also retain most of its properties when the filtration process is performed under appropriate conditions.
... e combination was used to treat cold, cough, and respiratory illness such as bronchitis. Besides that, the SBH is extensively used as a fundamental part of medicine by the Maya traditional doctors as remedy for high fever, treatment for wounds and burns, and also the cure for poisonous stings [55]. Despite being known as functional food, honey is also credited with many therapeutic values. ...
Both honeybees (Apis spp.) and stingless bees (Trigona spp.) produce honeys with high nutritional and therapeutics value. Until recently, the information regarding potential health benefits of stingless bee honey (SBH) in medical databases is still scarce as compared to the common European bee honey (EBH) which is well known for their properties as therapeutic agents. Although there have been very few reports on SBH, empirically these products would have similar therapeutic quality as the EBH. In addition, due to the structure of the nest, few studies reported that the antimicrobial activity of SBH is a little bit stronger than EBH. Therefore, the composition of both the types of honey as well as the traditional uses and clinical applications were compared. The results of various studies on EBH and SBH from tissue culture research to randomised control clinical trials were collated in this review. Interestingly, there are many therapeutic properties that are unique to SBH. Therefore, SBH has a great potential to be developed for modern medicinal uses.
... Balché and medicinal honeys were also seen as possessing properties useful for curing disease (Ocampo Rosales, 2013). Medicinal honeys were created by situating hives near natural stands of the Lonchocarpus violaceus tree to enrich it in the pollen; the resulting honeys had psychoactive properties (Ott, 1998: 262). ...
This article presents evidence for the importance of traditional stingless beekeeping (meliponiculture) at the Postclassic period (CE 1150–1450) Maya political capital of Mayapán, Yucatan, Mexico, with a particular focus on the domestic and public contexts of this practice and its association with metallurgy and balché production. The spatial and social distribution of beekeeping activities throughout the city refines scholarly understanding of an integrated and functionally complex Maya agro-urban cityscape. Beekeeping activities are identified through the distribution of small limestone disks, interpreted as the covers for traditional hollow log hives, which were widely distributed throughout the Mayapán’s urban landscape. High concentrations of limestone disks at the outlying ceremonial/administrative center of Itzmal Ch’en and also at an elite palace group, may indicate concentrated honey production for crafting fermented honey wine, balché. Limestone disks are also widely distributed at other contexts such as temples and halls of the site’s monumental center as well as secondary elite and commoner house groups. Limestone disks are regularly recovered (although not exclusively) in association with metallurgical ceramics, suggesting that meliponiculture and lost-wax metallurgy were often practiced by the same households. Honey and wax production was a complex undertaking, involving by-products essential for other industries that were not solely produced for commercial exchange. Instead, these activities were frequently embedded into symbolically charged consumption spheres and specialized artisanal practices.
... Una prescripción para tratar el cuello hinchado consiste: mezclar malva (Malachra palmata) y miel hasta formar un puré y tomárselo, o bien tomar leche y canela mezclada con miel(Roys, 1976, citado por Ocampo, 2013. Para conocer más acerca de los usos medicinales de la abeja Ko'olel kaab" puede consultarseOcampo (2013). En los Petenes, el rescate del conocimiento tradicional sobre el uso medicinal de la abejas "Ko'olel kaab" podría iniciarse mediante registros etnográficos a los médicos tradicionales comúnmente llamados yerbateros. ...
El abandono de la meliponicultura por parte de los campesinos mayas inicio con la introducción de la abeja europea Apis mellifera a mediados del siglo pasado. La expansión de la apicultura con esta especie se debió al mayor rendimiento por colmena con relación a las abejas meliponas. Otros factores atribuidos al decaimiento de la meliponicultura son: a) la deforestación y fragmentación de la selva, b) la expansión de la agricultura y la ganadería, c) el abandono del campo por falta de alternativas de empleo e ingreso, y d) el desconocimiento de prácticas de manejo y reproducción de las abejas. En las comunidades aledañas a la RBLP existen familias que por generaciones han practicado la meliponicultura, sin embargo, se desconocen, quienes son, cuántos son, cómo realizan la cría y manejo, cuáles son sus condiciones socioeconómicas, sus limitantes y perspectivas. Por ello en el presente estudio se planteó examinar la situación actual y perspectivas de la meliponicultura en comunidades aledañas a la RBLP.
... The Mayan civilization has used this drink for its ritual activity. 8,9 The native stingless bees found in Malaysia are primarily known for their great ecological significance as plant pollinators. 10 Products of the Malaysian stingless bee such as honey and propolis are of significant nutritional and therapeutic value. ...
... Los mayas vinculaban la cría de la abeja sin aguijón (Melipona beecheii), conocida localmente como ko'olel kaab, 1 a la tradición religiosa del dios abeja conocido como Ah Mucen Kaab, a quien representaron en códices y figuras en templos posclásicos de la península de Yucatán como lo señalan diversos autores (Calkins, 1974;Barceló y Roubik, 2013;Jones, 2013). Además, entre los mayas existe una tradición ancestral del uso de la miel de ko'olel kaab con fines medicinales, para la preparación de bebidas empleadas en ceremonias religiosas y para endulzar alimentos (Nárez, 1988;Terán y Rasmussen, 1994;Vit, Medina y Enríquez, 2004;Ocampo, 2013). ...
La cría de la abeja sin aguijón ko’olel kaab (Melipona beecheii) es una actividad ancestral en vía de desaparición en la reserva Los Petenes. Por su importancia en la estrategia familiar en el área natural protegida y la conservación de la diversidad de especies de abejas nativas, se planteó el estudio de la situación y perspectivas de la meliponicultura en dicha área. Se usaron encuestas semiestructuradas, entrevistas con informantes clave y observación participante. Los resultados muestran que solo seis comunidades de las 17 manejan la abeja ko’olel kaab, los meliponicultores están constituidos mayoritariamente por hombres de edad avanzada con débil organización social. La perspectiva de la meliponicultura es alentadora porque se ubica en un área natural protegida y, el conocimiento y manejo tradicional aún persiste y la realizan familias mayas para uso medicinal y ceremonial. El mercado y el valor cultural de la meliponicultura son factores que pueden contribuir a su rescate.
... Wilder et al. (2016) clearly express how the indigenous knowledge in curbing the loss of biodiversity is crucial: "by not fully honouring the real and potential value of indigenous science as it does professional academic and citizen science, our institutions risk ignoring the opportunity to consilience among the many sources of knowledge." The knowledge of indigenous and the rural population about stingless bees is evident (Camargo and Posey 1990;Ocampo-Rosales 2013;Reyes-González et al. 2014;Vit et al. 2015;Zamudio and Hilgert 2015;Wilder et al. 2016). ...
... 15); (2) the use of sting- less bees as pesticide bio-indicators, as in the protocol for neonicotinoid residue extraction and detection in the Scaptotrigona aff. depilis (Moure 1942) bodies (Souza Rosa et al. 2015); (3) the integration of meliponiculture in agroforestry systems that favor the diversification of resources in the economy (Wolff 2014); (4) the search for new marketing channels for bee products ( Jaffé et al. 2015); (5) the update of an inventory of bio- diversity of stingless bees in Ecuador using molecular and morphometric techniques ( GarcíaOlivares et al. 2015); (6) the valorization of medicinal uses of pot-honey (Ocampo 2013;Vit et al. 2015) and pot-pollen; (7) the chemical char- acterization of pot-pollen ( Vit et al. 2016); and (8) the stingless bee keepers will benefit in eco- nomic, cultural, health, and food sovereignty. ...
... Ecuadorian indigenous population keeps a legacy of a vast Precolumbian entomological knowledge, present in their mythology, art, gastronomy (Barragán et al., 2009) and medicine. In particular, the stingless bee Melipona beecheii was considered a reincarnation of divine forces by the Mayas, and still today this Melipona bee is known with the goddess name Xunan kab, from maya "Xunan" principal lady and "kab" honey (Ocampo Rosales, 2013). ...
Pastaza is the largest and least populated province in Ecuador, with seven native indigenous nationalities. The Kichwas from the Rio Chico community live near to the capital city Puyo, are recognized for their knowledge on stingless honey bees. From the 400 species of Neotropical Meliponini that make honey in cerumen pots, almost 100 thrive in Southern Ecuador, and confer such biodiversity to pot-honey. In this study sensory characteristics of Ecuadorian false and genuine honeys with diverse entomological origin: Apis mellifera – light amber and amber, Geotrigona leucogastra, Melipona grandis and Scaptotrigona sp. (S. ederi np Schwarz) were investigated with Kichwa assessors (four female and four male, aged 18–62 years old). The panel was asked to taste and to identify sensory attributes of honey (appearance, taste, smell, aroma, mouthfeel, other tactile sensations), and to score their intensities in 10cm unstructured line scales anchored with the words weak and strong, using the Free-Choice Profile methodology The Generalized Procrustes Analysis was used on the data. The first and second dimensions accounted for by 61.1% of the variance. In the descriptive sensory evaluation, darker honeys (amber A. mellifera, false and Geotrigona) were separated from (light amber A. mellifera, Melipona and Scaptotrigona) by the first dimension; whereas thicker honeys (A. mellifera and false) were discriminated from thinner honeys (Geotrigona, Melipona and Scaptotrigona) by the second dimension. The assessors were able to evaluate and differentiate honey types without previous sensory training. Remarkably, two Kichwa ladies immediately spit out the false honey, in contrast to an acceptance study on 18-honeys, where the false honey was scored among the preferred ones by 58 participants of the First Congress on Apiculture and Meliponiculture in Ecuador. Therefore, results suggest that Ecuadorian native Kichwas keep a sensory legacy of ancestral knowledge with forest products such as honey.
... Stingless bee beekeeping is known as meliponiculture. The utilization of stingless bees by humans is an ancient undertaking, albeit not overly well documented in the archeological record Crane, 1992;Rosales, 2013). ...
Since pre-Hispanic times, honey from Melipona beecheii has been considered as a food with great health benefits. Mayan civilization had the tradition of producing this kind of honey, which has several attributes including biological activities. This natural product is employed in the treatment of digestive disorders, skin ulcers, wound healing, burns, cataracts and microbial infections. However, there are few reports that provide scientific evidence of the biological properties of honey produced by M. beecheii. Some reports indicate that antimicrobial properties of stingless bee honey could be used in the treatment of strains of clinic interest, such as S. aureus, E. coli and E. faecalis. Unlike regular drugs and other antimicrobial compounds normally used today, Melipona honey has proven to be a broad-spectrum antimicrobial compound, inhibiting growth of gram negative as well as gram positive bacteria. On the other hand it has been observed that Melipona honey also has antifungal effects against opportunistic species like C. albicans. Taking into account the long-term properties and low concentration requirements from this food to inhibit a wide number of microorganisms, Melipona honey could be considered as an alternative in the treatment of microbial infections.
... Stingless bee beekeeping is known as meliponiculture. The utilization of stingless bees by humans is an ancient undertaking, albeit not overly well documented in the archeological record Crane, 1992;Rosales, 2013). ...
... In the Yucatan peninsula, the bee Melipona beecheii was named "cab" or "kab" in the Mayan language. It was considered of such importance by the Mayan people that, after a long process of appropriation, the bees were deified and named "xunan cab," or "xunan kab" (Ocampo-Rosales, 2013). A wide range of attributes may suggest that M. beecheii honey enhances several systems to control digestive disorders, eye diseases, and respiratory infections, wound healing, post-birth recovery, fatigue, casts for fractures and skin ulcers (Vit et al., 2004). ...
The knowledge regarding the physicochemical characteristics of the honey produced by stingless bees is still limited, mainly due to the high diversity of the floral resources and the low production that is inherent to these species. This manuscript describes the physicochemical characterization of 27 honey samples produced by Melipona beecheii, from the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico. The objective of this study was to contribute to the establishment of standards for quality control. The following parameters were evaluated in the honey samples: reducing sugars, moisture content, acidity, pH, hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF), ash, soluble solids, formol index, proline and color. Most of physico-chemical parameters fulfilled the quality criteria established by the International Legislation for Apis honey, with the exception of moisture content, which presented higher values; for that, the results indicate that the international standard procedures are not completing adequate for all the parameters analyzed on Apis mellifera honey and therefore is need establish a suitable standard of quality control for honey from Melipona.
... Stingless bee beekeeping is known as meliponiculture. The utilization of stingless bees by humans is an ancient undertaking albeit not overly well documented in the archeological record (Ayala, Gonzalez, & Engel, 2013;Crane, 1992;Rosales, 2013). Meliponiculture in Thailand presently could be characterized as in an incipient phase with the number of stingless bee beekeepers and 'managed' stingless bee colonies increasing (Chuttong, Chanbang, & Burgett, 2014). ...
... Nogueira-Neto, 1970, 1997Cortopassi-Laurino et al., 2006;Contrera et al, 2011;Alves, 2013). In addition to the importance of the "honey-pot" (term coined by P. Vit in order to point out the differences between the honey produced by stingless bees and that produced in combs by Apis, especially A. mellifera L.; Vit, 2013;Vit et al., 2013a;Alves, 2013) as food, the historical and socio-cultural aspects of the traditional and medicinal uses of the by-products of the stingless bees are also worthy of notice (e.g. Schwarz, 1948;Camargo & Posey, 1990;Engels, 2013;Jones, 2013;Ocampo Rosales, 2013;Quintal & Roubik, 2013;Vit et al. 2013b;Zamora et al., 2013). Concerning the importance and diversity of the stingless bees -417 species for the Neotropical region up to the last update of the Moure's bee Catalogue (Camargo & Pedro, 2007a, in addition to others still not described, a panorama of the stingless bee fauna currently living in Brazil is presented, including geographic records by Brazilian states. ...
The stingless bee fauna currently known from Brazil is summarized, including geographic records by Brazilian states. A total of 244 valid species and about 89 undescribed forms, placed in 29 genera, are recorded for the country. The survey is based mainly on the Catalogue of Bees (Moure's Bee Catalogue) and specimens housed in the Camargo Collection - RPSP. An evaluation of the current taxonomic status and some short comments on biology are also included.
... Internationally, some studies in this field can also be cited [e.g. [26][27][28][29][30][31]. ...
The Quilombola communities of Ipiranga and Gurugi, located in Atlantic Rainforest in Southern of Paraiba state, have stories that are interwoven throughout time. The practice of meliponicultura has been carried out for generations in these social groups and provides an elaborate ecological knowledge based on native stingless bees, the melliferous flora and the management techniques used. The traditional knowledge that Quilombola have of stingless bees is of utmost importance for the establishment of conservation strategies for many species.
To deepen study concerning the ecological knowledge of the beekeepers, the method of participant observation together with structured and semi-structured interviews was used, as well as the collection of entomological and botanical categories of bees and plants mentioned. With the aim of recording the knowledge related to meliponiculture previously exercised by the residents, the method of the oral story was employed.
Results show that the informants sampled possess knowledge of twelve categories of stingless bees (Apidae: Meliponini), classified according to morphological, behavioral and ecological characteristics. Their management techniques are represented by the making of traditional cortico and the melliferous flora is composed of many species predominant in the Atlantic Rainforest. From recording the memories and recollections of the individuals, it was observed that an intricate system of beliefs has permeated the keeping of urucu bees (Melipona scutellaris) for generations.
According to management techniques used by beekeepers, the keeping of stingless bees in the communities is considered a traditional activity that is embedded within a network of ecological knowledge and beliefs accumulated by generations over time, and is undergoing a process of transformation that provides new meanings to such knowledge, as can be observed in the practices of young people.
The Mayan bee Melipona beecheii is one of the most important and widely cultivated stingless bees in Mexico. In order to document pollen and nectar resources for M. beecheii during the dry season, 25 pot-pollen and 25 pot-honey samples were collected from February to May 2021 at eight villages in Yucatan, Mexico. All samples were acetolysed, and 500 pollen grains were counted randomly for each sample. A total of 21 taxa belonging to eight botanical families were observed in the pot-pollen samples; in contrast, 32 pollen types from 16 botanical families were recorded in the pot-honey samples. According to PCA analyses, the pollen types that explained the maximum variance among the pot-pollen samples were Senna racemosa var. racemosa , Lonchocarpus punctatum , Cochlospermum vitifolium , Bursera schlechtendalii and B. simaruba , while S. racemosa var. racemosa , C. vitifolium , Alternanthera ramosissima , Psidium guajava , B. schlechtendalii , B. simaruba , L. punctatum, Mimosa bahamensis and Solanum americanum explained the greatest variance among the pot-honey samples. Our results confirm that M. beecheii displays polylectic foraging and targets for the secondary vegetation of tropical deciduous and tropical semideciduous forests. Diversity in the pot-pollen was found to be lower than that of the pot-honey samples. Since some pot-honey samples were overrepresented by the pollen grains of S. racemosa var. racemosa , PCA and cluster analysis grouped those pot-pollen and pot-honey samples together.
This review aimed to select, analyze and gather data published in the literature focusing on the chemical profile and bioactivities described for M. subnitida products. Data collection was carried out through the Capes Journal Portal platform, using the following databases: Web of Science, Scopus, and PubMed. Original articles published in English and Portuguese were included, with no time limitation. The chemical composition of M. subnitida products has been investigated through chromatographic analysis, demonstrating the presence of a variety of phenolic compounds, such as flavonoids and phenylpropanoids, among other classes of secondary metabolites. These products also have several biological activities, including antioxidant, healing, antinociceptive, anti‐inflammatory, antidepressant, antidyslipidemic, antiobesity, antifungal, antibacterial and prebiotic. Among the biological activities reported, the antioxidant activity was the most investigated. These data show that products derived from the stingless bee M. subnitida have promising bioactive compounds. This review provides useful information about the bioactivities and chemical profile of Melipona subnitida bee products, and a direction for future research, which should focus on understanding the mechanisms of action associated with the already elucidated pharmacological activities, as well as the bioactive properties of the main isolate’s constituents identified in the chemical composition of these products.
In the ancient medical manuscripts, there were many medical remedies and ingredients used to treat certain diseases. However, the presence of materia medica in medical manuscripts to treat cataract is still intriguing and has not been fully explored. This review aims to identify the most common material medica and its formulation in treating cataract in the Malay medical manuscript as well as to identify its published scientific support. Method: This study involves a qualitative descriptive analysis on Malay Medical Manuscripts and articles of scientific journals to obtain data, based on a scoping review. Results: The common materia medica in cataract treatment stated in the Malay Medical Manuscripts are citrus and biles. The frequency of both ingredients being mentioned in the manuscripts are 3 times each across 6 Malay Medical Manuscripts, which contain 10 formulations on cataract. Conclusion: The commonly mentioned material medica in the manuscript such as citrus and biles may become a potential material for further scientific investigation in treating cataract.
In the ancient medical manuscripts, there were many medical remedies and ingredients used to treat certain diseases. However, the presence of materia medica in medical manuscripts to treat cataract is still intriguing and has not been fully explored. This review aims to identify the most common material medica and its formulation in treating cataract in the Malay medical manuscript as well as to identify its published scientific support. Method: This study involves a qualitative descriptive analysis on Malay Medical Manuscripts and articles of scientific journals to obtain data, based on a scoping review. Results: The common materia medica in cataract treatment stated in the Malay Medical Manuscripts are citrus and biles. The frequency of both ingredients being mentioned in the manuscripts are 3 times each across 6 Malay Medical Manuscripts, which contain 10 formulations on cataract. Conclusion: The commonly mentioned material medica in the manuscript such as citrus and biles may become a potential material for further scientific investigation in treating cataract.
Stingless bee honey is a natural remedy and therapeutic agent traditionally used by indigenous communities across the (sub-)Tropics. Despite the potential of forest honey, a prime non-timber forest product (NTFP), to revitalize indigenous foodways and to generate income in rural areas, reports on Traditional Ecological Knowledge involving stingless bees and their honey are lacking in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Our aim was to explore, understand and document the non-food uses of stingless bee honey and associated empirical knowledge in Kenya's only tropical rainforest at Kakamega. We used ethnographic techniques and methods, including semi-structured questionnaires and recording devices.
Our results indicate that people in Kakamega were able to discriminate between six different stingless bee species and provided an account on species-specific uses of honeys. Collectively, we identified 26 different uses. Stingless bee honey is essential in traditional (folk) medicine, but also in the cultural and spiritual life of indigenous communities in Kakamega.
Los principales polinizadores de la flora silvestre son las abejas sin aguijón y los productos del nido como el polen recolectado, el propóleo y principalmente la miel; han sido empleados en la dieta diaria y aún mejor en la medicina tradicional. Empleando palabras clave como: actividad antimicrobiana, antioxidante, antibacteriana y anticancerígena se realizó una búsqueda bibliográfica en libros y artículos de investigación de los buscadores científicos PubMed, World Wide Science, Google Scholar y Springer Link, para describir aspectos generales y ejemplos de los beneficios en la salud de la miel. Estudios in vitro e in vivo han demostrado una relación positiva entre las características fisicoquímicas y la composición fitoquímica de la miel con el efecto benéfico en el tratamiento de afecciones leves como cicatrización de heridas, hasta procesos complejos de inflamación, estrés oxidativo, o infecciones microbianas. Así, la miel de abejas sin aguijón representa un producto con potencial terapéutico.
This article refers to the biology and ecology of stingless bees (Meliponini), living in tropical and subtropical areas. Similar to honey bees (Apis mellifera), stingless bees (Meliponini) belong to the category of proper social insects and are at the highest level of social development. This group of insects comprises about 500 species and they are the most common bees pollinating the native plants in many tropical areas. Families of stingless bees are usually quite numerous, reaching up to 100,000 individuals. They are characterised by polymorphism, age polyethism and perennialism. This article presents the structural complexity of natural nesting of these tropical insects and their ability to settle in artificial nest traps. The main significance of stingless bees for humans is their role in the natural environment as pollinators, which is an essential factor influencing biodiversity.
The tropics and subtropics are home to thousands of different types of bees. One bee group that frequently calls an observer’s attention are the stingless bees or Meliponini. In the Neotropics, for example, about half of all bees that one is likely to see on flowers belongs to this group (Chap. 9). Stingless bees can be smaller than a fruit fly or as large as the giant honey bee Apis dorsata. Like honey bees (Apini), stingless bees live in colonies and produce honey. They are potential pollinators of thousands of plant species and play important roles in human cultures. Like many other animals, stingless bees face new challenges in an increasingly human-modified world, including large-scale habitat loss, the widespread use of agrochemicals, climate change and introduced species, all of which put pressure on stingless bee populations (see Sect. 1.9).
Beekeeping among the modern Maya of Yucatan, Mexico, reflects an intricate network of symbiotic relationships between bees, flowering plants, humans, and the managed landscape, which includes both settlements ( kaaj, [kah]) and the cultivated and fallow farmlands surrounding them ( k'ax). Native stingless bees are valued today both for the honey and wax they produce and the crops they pollinate. This study utilizes the ethnobiology of modern Maya stingless beekeeping to interpret the material correlates of ancient Maya beekeeping through archaeological exploration at Late Formative (200 BC–AD 200) Cerro Maya, Belize. Our contemporary data focus on the species of bees kept, the characteristics of wood species preferred for hive structures ( hobon[ob]), the functional parameters of limestone disk hobon covers ( mak tuun[ob]), and the plant species identified in symbiotic cultivation with them. The ecological and cultural factors that mediate stingless beekeeping in the present day provide important insights for the interpretation of ancient beekeeping practices at Cerro Maya, evidenced in the worked limestone disks hypothesized to be ancient mak tuunob. Beyond Cerro Maya, the documentation of beekeeping activity throughout ancient urban centers has important implications for the interpretation of urban green spaces in early Maya cities. Together with information on the ritual use of hive furniture and effigies, these data suggest ancient elites recognized the importance of pollinator species, and that deliberate management of stingless bees was standard practice during the period of agricultural intensification known as the Late Formative.
Social insects, i.e. ants, bees, wasps and termites, are key components of ecological communities, and are important ecosystem services (ESs) providers. Here, we review the literature in order to (i) analyse the particular traits of social insects that make them good suppliers of ESs; (ii) compile and assess management strategies that improve the services provided by social insects; and (iii) detect gaps in our knowledge about the services that social insects provide. Social insects provide at least 10 ESs; however, many of them are poorly understood or valued. Relevant traits of social insects include high biomass and numerical abundance, a diversity of mutualistic associations, the ability to build important biogenic structures, versatile production of chemical defences, the simultaneous delivery of several ESs, the presence of castes and division of labour, efficient communication and cooperation, the capacity to store food, and a long lifespan. All these characteristics enhance social insects as ES providers, highlighting their potential, constancy and efficiency as suppliers of these services. In turn, many of these traits make social insects stress tolerant and easy to manage, so increasing the ESs they provide. We emphasise the need for a conservation approach to the management of the services, as well as the potential use of social insects to help restore habitats degraded by human activities. In addition, we stress the need to evaluate both services and disservices in an integrated way, because some species of social insects are among the most problematic invasive species and native pests. Finally, we propose two areas of research that will lead to a greater and more efficient use of social insects as ES providers, and to a greater appreciation of them by producers and decision‐makers.
South East Asia, and Thailand in particular, is seeing the emergence of a new kind of beekeeping industry. More than five hundred species of stingless bees are to be found throughout the tropics. In Thailand stingless bees are collectively known in the vernacular as “channarong”, which is etymologically derived from “the factory that makes cerumen.” A new industry is developing based on the products made by these industrious creatures.
Ecuadorian stingless bees (Apidae, Meliponini) have ethnomedicinal interest because their products are used in healing. Diverse remedies consist on pot-honey alone or mixed with infusions. This set of medicinal uses were informed in El Oro province by Ecuadorian stingless bee keepers -known as meliponicultors-in Latin America: Bruises, tumors, ocular cataracts, pterygium, inflammation, infections, varicose veins, cleaning blood after childbirth, kidney diseases, tumor, wound healing, and soothing balm before sleeping. Scaptotrigona ederi named "catiana" or "catana" is the most frequent bee in the visited cantons Las Lajas, Balsas, Piñas, and Zaruma. Other important stingless bees are Melipona indecisa "cananambo", Melipona mimetica "bermejo", Nannotrigona cf. perilampoides "pitón", and Paratrigona aff. eutaeniata "pirunga". A bioprospective research will follow to value this ancient tradition and the honey processed in cerumen pots, with sound inclusion in the Ecuadorian honey regulation NTE INEN 1572, currently under revision.
Beekeeping with stingless bees (meliponiculture) is practiced in Guatemala, Mexico and Venezuela. In this article we review the medicinal uses of stingless bee honeys in these countries. We include honeys from 23 stingless bee species, review their use in the treatment of ocular cataracts and pterygium, fatigue, gastritis, ulcers, lung weakness, coughs, wounds and bruises; their use as laxatives and fertility enhancers, and their nutritional value. A proposal on quality standards for stingless bee honey is considered a contribution for further regulations.
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