Defensive repertoire of the stingless bee Melipona flavolineata Friese (Hymenoptera: Apidae)

• Published in: Sociobiology (Chico, CA) Vol. 61; no. 4; pp. 541 - 546
• Main Authors: Nunes, Túlio Marcos, Von Zuben, Lucas Garcia, Costa, Luciano, Venturieri, Giorgio Cristino
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Universidade Estadual de Feira de Santana 01.12.2014
• Subjects: Apidae; Hymenoptera; Lestrimelitta limao; mandibular gland; Melipona; Meliponini; pheromones
• DOI: 10.13102/sociobiology.v61i4.541-546
• ISSN: 0361-6525

Despite the loss of the sting apparatus, Meliponini (stingless) bees have not lost their ability to defend themselves. Several defensive strategies have been described for the group, including biting and resin deposition. Defensive behavior can be mediated by chemical communication, for example through the use of alarm pheromones. The Stingless bee species Melipona flavolineata Friese is an important species for meliponiculture in Brazil, especially in the Amazon region. In order to improve the current management methods for the species, this study aimed to describe the range of defensive strategies used by the stingless bee M. flavolineata towards inter and intraspecific chemical signals known to trigger defensive responses in related species, namely the head secretions of the robber bee Lestrimelitta limao (Smith) and the mandibular gland extract of conspecifics M. flavolineata workers. The stimuli provoked different defensive reactions. The head secretions of the robber bee repelled returning foragers, elicited the enclosing of the nest entrance tube with batumen balls and the agglomeration of workers outside the box. In contrast, the mandibular gland extract elicited aggression towards the pheromone deposition site, transport of resin and generalised agitated flights. Our results confirm the role of the mandibular gland as a source of alarm pheromone in this species and the chemical triggering of a specific defensive response to the known cleptoparasite L. limao.