Mutualistic Association between a Tiny Amazonian Stingless Bee and a Wax-Producing Scale Insect1

Abstract The Amazonian stingless bee Schwarzula sp. houses and attends, in its nest, soft scale insects, Cryptostigma sp. (Coccidae), from which obtains sweet secretions (honeydew) for their feeding and additional wax to build their nests. The bees nests in tunnels burrowed by moth larvae in branches of Campsiandra angustifolia, Caesalpiniaceae.

[1]  C. Michener.  The Bees of the World , 2000 .

[2]  P. Gullan.  1.3.5 Relationships with ants , 1997 .

[3]  D. Roubik,et al.  Systematics and bionomics of the apoid obligate necrophages: the Trigona hypogea group (Hymenoptera: Apidae; Meliponinae) , 1991 .

[4]  M. M. Rêgo,et al.  Comportamento das abelhas visitantes de murici, Byrsonima crassifolia (L.) Kunth, Malpighiaceae , 1989 .

[5]  D. Roubik.  Obligate Necrophagy in a Social Bee , 1982, Science.

[6]  C. Michener,et al.  Pollen manipulation and related activities and structures in bees of the family Apidae , 1978 .

[7]  Marilda Cortopassi-Laurino.  Notas sobre associações de Trigona (Oxytrigona) tataira (Apidae, meliponinae) , 1977 .

[8]  Castro P.R.C..  Mutualismo entre Trigona Spinipes (Fabricius, 1793) e Aethalion reticulatum (L. 1767) em Cajanus indicus spreng. na presenca de Camponotus Spp. , 1975 .

[9]  S. Laroca,et al.  Adaptação comportamental de Scaura latitarsis para coleta de pólen , 1973 .

[10]  C. D. C. Landim.  Evaluation of the Wax and Scent Glands in the Apinae (Hymenoptera: Apidae) , 1963 .

[11]  M. Way.  Mutualism Between Ants and Honeydew-Producing Homoptera , 1963 .

[12]  H. Schwarz,et al.  Stingless bees (Meliponidae) of the Western Hemisphere : Lestrimelitta and the following subgenera of Trigona: Trigona, Paratrigona, Schwarziana, Parapartamona, Cephalotrigona, Oxytrigona, Scaura, and Mourella , 1948 .

[13]  A. Ducke.  Biologische Notizen über einige südamerikanische Hymenoptera , 2022 .

[14]  W. Schulz.  Neue Beobachtungen an südbrasilianischen Meliponiden-Nestern , 2022 .

[15]  H. Muller.  Larvæ of Membracis serving as Milk-cattle to a Brazilian Species of Honey-bees , 1873 .

[16]  F. Lutz,et al.  Some neotropical meliponid bees. Bulletin of the AMNH ; v. 42, article 11. , 2022 .