Stingless bees (Meliponini) are a diverse group of eusocial bees found in tropical and subtropical regions worldwide, which honey is gathering interest in the scientific community due to its beneficial properties.
1) Stingless bees, introduction
Unlike honeybees, stingless bees lack a functional stinger, making them less aggressive and easier to manage. Stingless bees play a crucial role in ecosystems as pollinators, particularly for native plants and crops requiring buzz pollination. They construct intricate nests using propolis and cerumen, where they store small quantities of honey in spherical pots.
Honey from stingless bee is highly valued for its unique flavor, characterized by a tangy, slightly sour taste, and its higher moisture content compared to honeybee honey. Stingless bees honey is rich in bioactive compounds, such as phenolic acids and flavonoids, which contribute to its antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties.
Meliponiculture, i.e. stingless beekeeping, offers economic opportunities for rural communities, particularly in developing countries, while promoting biodiversity and sustainable practices. Further research is needed to explore the full potential of stingless bee honey and to develop strategies for their conservation and sustainable use.
2) Stingless bees, key characteristics
Physical appearance. Stingless bees are smaller than honeybees, ranging from 2 to 10 mm in length, and come in various colors (black, brown, yellow, or metallic green) (Rasmussen & Cameron, 2010). They lack a functional stinger but may bite or secrete resin for defense (Michener, 2013).
Social structure. Stingless bees are ‘eusocial’, living in colonies with a queen, workers, and drones (Michener, 2013). Colonies are smaller than those of honeybees, typically housing a few hundred to several thousand individuals (Roubik, 2006).
Nesting behavior. Stingless bees build nests in cavities like hollow trees, rock crevices, or man-made structures (Roubik, 2006). They use propolis (resin) and cerumen (wax-resin mixture) to construct brood cells and storage pots for honey and pollen (Michener, 2013).
Production of honey. Stingless bees produce honey in small quantities, stored in spherical cerumen pots (Vit et al., 2013). Their honey is highly valued for its unique flavor, medicinal properties, and higher moisture content (Vit et al., 2013).
3) Ecological and economic importance
Pollination. Stingless bees are excellent pollinators, especially for native plants and crops like tomatoes and blueberries (Heard, 1999). They perform buzz pollination, which is essential for certain plants (Slaa et al., 2006).
Biodiversity. These pollinators contribute to biodiversity by pollinating a wide variety of flowering plants (Roubik, 2006).
Cultural and economic value. Indigenous cultures value stingless bee honey for food, medicine, and rituals (Vit et al., 2013).The honey is sold at premium prices due to its rarity and health benefits (Vit et al., 2013).
4) Stingless bee honey, and its unique features
Flavor and composition. Stingless bee honey has a tangy, sour taste and higher water content compared to honeybee honey (Vit et al., 2013). It contains bioactive compounds like phenolic acids and flavonoids (Biluca et al., 2016).
Health properties. Stingless bee honey has antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties (Biluca et al., 2016). It is traditionally used to treat wounds, infections, and digestive issues (Vit et al., 2013).
5) Health properties, at a glance
‘The phenolic composition, antioxidant capacity and bioaccessibility of the minerals of thirteen honey samples from nine different species of stingless bees (Meliponinae) were determined in this study. Twenty-six phenolic compounds were found. The major phenolic compounds were salicylic acid (8.02–94.8 μg 100 g1), p-coumaric acid (4.54–64.3 μg 100 g1), naringin (4.00–32.0 μg 100 g1) and taxifolin (12.0–1920 μg 100 g1). Moreover, the presence of mandelic acid, caffeic acid, chlorogenic acid, rosmarinic acid, aromadendrin, isoquercetrin, eriodictyol, vanillin, umbelliferone, syringaldehyde, sinapaldehyde and carnosol in stingless bee honeys was reported for the first time.
The study also states that the abundant minerals in the samples were potassium (263.0–4980 μg g1), followed by calcium (88.7–138 μg g1), sodium (12.7–261 μg g1) and magnesium (25.9–231 μg g1). The estimation of the minerals bioaccessibility demonstrated high fractions (73.62–107.6% of the total concentrations). Stingless bee honey has considerable concentrations of phenolic compounds and macro minerals (K, Ca, Na and Mg) as well as a related antioxidant capacity, suggesting a source of natural antioxidants’ (Biluca et al., 2016. Abstract).
6) Low Glycemic Index (GI), acariogenic properties
‘Examination of honey from five different stingless bee species across Neotropical and Indo-Australian regions has enabled for the first time the identification of the unusual disaccharide trehalulose as a major component representing between 13 and 44 g per 100 g of each of these honeys. Trehalulose is an isomer of sucrose with an unusual α-(1 → 1) glucose-fructose glycosidic linkage and known acariogenic and low glycemic index properties.
NMR and UPLC-MS/MS analysis unambiguously confirmed the identity of trehalulose isolated from stingless bee honeys sourced across three continents, from Tetragonula carbonaria and Tetragonula hockingsi species in Australia, from Geniotrigona thoracica and Heterotrigona itama in Malaysia and from Tetragonisca angustula in Brazil.
The previously unrecognised abundance of trehalulose in stingless bee honeys is concrete evidence that supports some of the reported health attributes of this product. This is the first identification of trehalulose as a major component within a food commodity’ (Fletcher et al., 2020. Abstract).
7) Stingless beekeeping (meliponiculture)
Traditional practices. Indigenous communities use log hives or clay pots for stingless beekeeping (Vit et al., 2013).
Modern techniques. Modern hives allow for easier honey extraction and colony management (Cortopassi-Laurino et al., 2006).
Economic potential. Meliponiculture provides income for rural communities through honey and hive product sales (Jaffé et al., 2015).
8) Some notable species of stingless bees
Meliponini are the largest and most diverse group of social bees, with more than 550 species, yet their largely tropical distribution means that they are less studied than their relatives, the bumble bees and honey bees (Grüter, 2020). Most studies have focused on three species, which are therefore the best known:
Tetragonula carbonaria (Australia). Known for high honey production and adaptability to urban environments (Heard, 1999).
Melipona beecheii (Central America). Revered by the ancient Maya for its honey and medicinal properties (Quezada-Euán et al., 2001).
Trigona spp. (Global tropics). A diverse genus found in Africa, Asia, and the Americas (Rasmussen & Cameron, 2010).
9) Conservation and threats
Habitat loss. Deforestation and urbanization threaten stingless bees by destroying nesting sites and floral resources (Roubik, 2006).
Pesticides. These impollinators, as others, are highly sensitive to pesticides, such as neonicotinoids, which can harm their colonies (Barbosa et al., 2015).
Climate change. Changes in temperature and rainfall patterns disrupt foraging and nesting behavior (Giannini et al., 2020).
Conservation efforts. Efforts include habitat restoration, sustainable beekeeping, and public awareness campaigns (Jaffé et al., 2015).
10) Provisional conclusions
A universe of honeys is being produced from every corner of the Earth, each possessing unique characteristics influenced by various factors. These include the species of pollinating insects, the biodiversity and botanical varieties they interact with, as well as latitude, geographical area, climate and microclimate, seasons, the harvesting period and the production methods.
The nectar offered by stingless bees is a shining star in this universe, distinguished by its exceptional antimicrobial and therapeutic properties. For millennia, it has in fact been used in local traditions for medicinal purposes and wound care. Nonetheless, Codex Alimentarius Standard for Honey (CXS 12-1981) has yet to encompass honeys produced by these and other types of bees.
This omission highlights the need for updates to the standard to recognize and preserve the unique identities of these other honey varieties. Also in view to encourage its production and international trade, for the benefit either of beekeepers in low- and middle-income countries and of consumers all over the world.
Dario Dongo
References
– Rasmussen, C., & Cameron, S. A. (2010). Global stingless bee phylogeny supports ancient divergence, vicariance, and long-distance dispersal. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 99(1), 206-232. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1095-8312.2009.01341.x
– Michener, C. D. (2013). The Meliponini. In ‘The Bees of the World’ (2nd ed., pp. 803-828). Johns Hopkins University Press. ISBN: 9780801895788 https://tinyurl.com/bdhyd9vc
– Roubik, D. W. (2006). Stingless bee nesting biology. Apidologie, 37(2), 124-143. https://doi.org/10.1051/apido:2006026
– Vit, P., Pedro, S. R. M., & Roubik, D. W. (2013). Pot-Honey: A Legacy of Stingless Bees. Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-4960-7
– Biluca, F. C., et al. (2016). Phenolic compounds, antioxidant capacity, and bioaccessibility of stingless bee honey. Journal of Apicultural Research, 55(5), 436-443. https://doi.org/10.1080/00218839.2016.1241841
– Grüter, Christoph. Stingless bees: their behaviour, ecology and evolution. Springer Nature, 2020. ISBN-13: 978-3030600921
– Heard, T. A. (1999). The role of stingless bees in crop pollination. Annual Review of Entomology, 44(1), 183-206. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.ento.44.1.183
– Slaa, E. J., et al. (2006). Stingless bees in applied pollination: Practice and perspectives. Apidologie, 37(2), 293-315 https://doi.org/10.1051/apido:2006022
– Barbosa, W. F., et al. (2015). Pesticide exposure and effects on non-Apis bees. Environmental Pollution, 208, 1-10 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2015.07.012
– Jaffé, R., et al. (2015). Stingless bees: An overview. Apidologie, 46(3), 325-347. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13592-014-0316-z
– Quezada-Euán, J. J. G., et al. (2001). Melipona beecheii: A stingless bee of cultural and economic importance in Mexico. Bee World, 82(4), 160-167. https://doi.org/10.1080/0005772X.2001.11099525
– Mary T. Fletcher et al. (2020). Stingless bee honey, a novel source of trehalulose: a biologically active disaccharide with health benefits, Scientific Reports https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-68940-0
