MELIPONINI HONEY / ABOUT
THE STINGLESS BEES STORY
THE AMAZING LITTLE STINGLESS HONEYBEE
Also known as meliponini, stingless bees are indigenous of tropical rainforest in South East Asia, Australia, South and Central America and Africa. Due to its small size, the stylet of stingless honeybee can render no functional sting, hence its name 'stingless' bees
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The prominent characteristic of stingless bees honey is its zesty tangy taste paired with a gentle 'vinegarish' aroma and sharp propolis undertones (attributed to the honey being hived in propolis honeypots).
SIZE MATTERS
Compared to common honeybees, Apis, stingless bees are really small is size, giving them access to nectar of small flowers as well as an exclusive access to the cleaner and more nutritional nectar found usually at the deeper end of flowers.
A CLEVERLY HIDDEN HOME
With no sting for defence, stingless bees protects its colony by brilliantly nestling it within the hollow of tree trunks, tree branches and crevices.
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​The only mean of access to the colony is through a single entry-exit entrance that is guarded by a few or an army of soldier bees, depending on the size of the colony.
HIVE STRUCTURE
Haphazardly structured cluster of honeypots built of propolis, a material made up of the bee's own salivary secretion with various plant's resin gathered. Propolis acts as antibiotic to keep the hive sterile, preventing fungi and microbial attacks.
Propolis material can be incredibly sticky or solid hard, making honey harvesting, tricky and laborious.
INSIGNIA HIVE ENTRANCE
Stingless bees are incredibly creative! Among their own species, each built their own peculiar style of hive entrance.
THE DIFFRENCES
