Potential of Tree Species for Nesting by Native Bees (Apidae: Meliponina) in the Caatinga Biome

Abstract

The Caatinga, an exclusively Brazilian biome which has a high level of endemism, has suffered from a biodiversity reduction due to the impacts of human activity, particularly those related to deforestation. As a consequence of that, the bee population has had its ecological niche impacted. Taking this into consideration, the present study aims to do an inventory of the tree species used for the nidification process of stingless bees in the Caatinga areas of the town of Paulistana, Piauí. In order to do that, periodical excursions were made from November 2017 to October 2018, in which botanical material of the trees used for nidification was collected, along with samples of the bee species that inhabited such nests. The results showed that the native bees’ nests were present in four tree species: Commiphora leptophloeos (Mart.) J.B Gillett, where most of the nests were observed (N = 67), Aspidosperma pyrifolium Mart. and Zucc., Cenostigma macrophylla Tul. and Spondias tuberosa Arruda. 72 native bees’ nests belonging to five different species were observed: Melipona mandacaia, Smith, 1863 (57 nests), Melipona marginata Lepeletier, 1836, with 7 nests, Frieseomelitta doederleini, Friese, 1900 (4 nests), Scaptotrigona tubiba, Smith, 1863 (1 nest) and Partamona seridoenses, Pedro e Camargo, 2003 (1 nest). The largest number of nests observed belonged to the Commiphora leptophloeos (Mart.) J.B Gillett, which suggests that this species is prefered for nidification by the stingless bees in the region studied – in particular by the Melipona mandacaia Smith, 1863.