Abstract

COPA - ALVARO, María. Nesting patterns of Trigona (Tetragonisca) angustula Y Melipona rufiventris (Hymenoptera: Meliponini) in northern la Paz, Bolivia. Ecol. apl. [online]. 2004, vol.3, n.1-2, pp.82-86. ISSN 1726-2216.

Three Tacana communities in northern La Paz wanted to moved wild colonies from a nearby forest to beehives with the purpose of raising native bees. Previously, we registered data on the type of forest and the species of trees where they built their nests, the diameter at breast height (dbh) of host trees, and the height of the entrance tube. Trigona (Tetragosnisca) angustula (n = 100) had their nets principally in disturbed forest areas (agricultural field, abandoned fields, chacos and horse pastures), and with higher frequency in the tree species Astronium urundeuva; whereas Melipona rufiventris (n = 24) located their nests within the forest and we did not encounter signs of preference for any tree species. The highest percentage of T. angustula nests were found in dead trees, and the mean height of the entrance tube was 32 cm (DS = 24.4) . The average diameter at breast height for its host trees was 37 cm (DS = 13.4), while it was 42 cm (DS = 14.5) for M. rufiventris.

Keywords : stingless bees; nests; tree species; habitat; Bolivia.

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